Somatic Movement and Education:
a phenomenological study of young children's
perceptions, expressions and reflections of
embodiment through movement
Jennifer Leigh
A thesis submitted to the
University of Birmingham
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
School of Education
University of Birmingham
September 2011
University of Birmingham Research Archive
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ABSTRACT
This reflexive account is of a phenomenological study that took place over two years. It
explores how a group of primary-aged children perceive, express and reflect on their
embodiment through movement.
Children aged between four and eleven years took part in sessions of yoga, somatic movement
and developmental play during the school day. The data include field notes, observations, a
reflexive journal, photographs of and by the children, their drawings, mark-makings, writing
and posters. Children were also interviewed at the end of the study, when they had an
opportunity to reflect on all their work and experiences.
All the children were capable of expressing and reflecting on their experiences, and the oldest
children in particular appeared to enjoy and seemed to benefit from the reflective process. By
linking together a sense of self-awareness and reflection, the children appeared able to gain
insight into their embodied experience and reflect on emotions, feelings and events.
Embodiment is a process as much of a state of being, and as such has implications for
perceptions of mind and body, learning, and reflective practice. This approach to embodied
reflective practice thus has potential for educators and teacher trainers, as well as direct work
with children.
DEDICATION
For Summer, Kira, and my parents. Thank you.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you to Professor Richard Bailey, without whom I could not (would not) have done this
at all. You have been there for me in so many ways over the past few years. I must owe you
a drink or something. Thank you to Dr Symeon Dagkas, my supervisor. Thank you to all my
family and friends for their support, and to those at work for their encouragement.
Thanks also to the staff, pupils and parents at the school for their willingness to participate,
explore and share their experiences with me.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1
CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH CONTEXT, YOGA AND SOMATIC MOVEMENT PRACTICES.......... 8
2.1 OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH...................................................................................................... 8
2.2 PRINCIPLES OF SOMATIC MOVEMENT ............................................................................. 13
2.3 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY AND YOGA PHILOSOPHY ......................................................... 14
2.4 WESTERN SOMATIC MOVEMENT PRACTICES ................................................................ 19
2.4.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF TOUCH ...................................................................................... 20
2. 5 INTEGRATIVE BODYWORK AND MOVEMENT THERAPY (IBMT) AND BODY-MINDCENTERING® (BMC®) .................................................................................................................... 22
2.6 AUTHENTIC MOVEMENT ...................................................................................................... 27
2.7 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ 31
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH ............................................................................. 33
3.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND METHODS ........................................................................... 33
3.2 PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACHES ............................................................................... 37
3.3 PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH WITHIN THIS STUDY ........................................................ 42
3.4 DATA ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................... 47
3.5 WORKING WITH CHILDREN ................................................................................................. 50
3.6 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................................ 55
3.7 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 60
3.8 THE SETTING ........................................................................................................................... 62
3.9 PHASES OF THE STUDY ......................................................................................................... 65
3.9.1 FIRST PHASE ..................................................................................................................... 67
3.9.2 SECOND PHASE ................................................................................................................ 73
3.9.3 SCIENCE WEEK ................................................................................................................. 80
3.9.4 THIRD PHASE .................................................................................................................... 81
3.10 CONSIDERATIONS NEEDED IN PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH .................................... 84
3.11 SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. 88
3.12 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .............................................................................................. 90
CHAPTER 4 EMBODIMENT OF CHILDREN .................................................................................. 91
4.1. BODYMIND .............................................................................................................................. 91
4.2 MINDFULNESS AND MINDLESSNESS ................................................................................ 94
4.3 LEARNING MINDFULLY ........................................................................................................ 96
4.4 BECOMING MINDFUL .......................................................................................................... 101
4.5 CHILDREN’S SOMATIC MOVEMENT AND BODYMIND................................................ 104
4.6 THE BODY............................................................................................................................... 109
4.6.1 PERCEPTIONS OF BODIES AND MOVEMENT .......................................................... 111
4.6.2 EXPRESSING AND RECOGNISING EMOTION ........................................................... 131
4.6.3 EXPERIENCING ‘STRETCH’ AND ‘PAIN’ ................................................................... 143
4.6.4 MOVEMENT AS FUN ...................................................................................................... 149
4.6.5 BEING STILL .................................................................................................................... 155
4.6.6 FINDING BALANCE........................................................................................................ 165
4.6.7 PERCEPTIONS OF INNER STRUCTURE ...................................................................... 177
4.7 MOVEMENT WITHIN EDUCATION .................................................................................... 188
4.8 SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. 199
CHAPTER 5 EMBODIMENT AND LEARNING: SOMATIC MOVEMENT THERAPY AND
EDUCATION ..................................................................................................................................... 202
5.1 THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT TO INCREASE EMBODIED SELF-AWARENESS.......... 202
5.2 FORMING RELATIONSHIPS IN SOMATIC MOVEMENT EDUCATION/THERAPY ..... 204
5.3 CASE STUDIES ILLUSTRATING THERAPEUTIC ASPECTS ........................................... 223
5.3.1 CHILD A. ........................................................................................................................... 224
5.3.2 CHILD M. .......................................................................................................................... 229
5.4 SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. 243
CHAPTER 6 EMBODIMENT AND REFLECTION......................................................................... 245
6.1 THE NEED FOR REFLEXIVITY AND A REFLECTIVE APPROACH ............................... 245
6.2 MINDFULNESS AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE ................................................................ 251
6.3 EMBODIMENT AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE ................................................................. 254
6.4 REFLECTION AND MOVEMENT ......................................................................................... 260
6.5 CHILDREN’S REFLECTIONS THROUGH JOURNALING AND MARK-MAKING ........ 263
6.6 SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. 282
CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................... 284
7.1 EMBODIMENT AND CHILDREN ......................................................................................... 285
7.2 EMBODIMENT AND LEARNING ......................................................................................... 288
7.3 EMBODIMENT AND REFLECTION ..................................................................................... 296
7.4 IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS .................................................................... 299
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................... 305
APPENDIX 1 META-ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................... 338
APPENDIX 2 WESTERN SOMATIC MOVEMENT PRACTICES ................................................. 351
A2.1 GYMNASTIK .................................................................................................................... 351
A2.2 THE ROSEN METHOD .................................................................................................... 352
A2.3 MIDDENDORF ................................................................................................................. 353
A2.4 ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE ............................................................................................ 353
A2.5 FELDENKRAIS ................................................................................................................. 354
A2.6 ROLFING ........................................................................................................................... 355
A2.7 ASTON PATTERNING..................................................................................................... 356
A2.8 DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY ................................................................................... 357
A2.9 EUTONY ........................................................................................................................... 358
APPENDIX 3 LESSON PLAN FROM PHASE 1 .............................................................................. 361
APPENDIX 4 DETAIL PLAN FOR LESSON FROM PHASE 1 ..................................................... 363
APPENDIX 5 LESSON PLAN FROM PHASE 2 .............................................................................. 365
APPENDIX 6 PLANS AND PRE-SESSION REFLECTION FROM PHASE 3 ............................... 366
APPENDIX 7 DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS ............................................................................. 369
APPENDIX 8 DATA FROM SCIENCE WEEK................................................................................ 372
APPENDIX 9 MY HEART LEAPS UP (WORDSWORTH) ............................................................ 380
APPENDIX 10 NOTES FROM YEAR 2 PHYSICAL EDUCATION SESSION ............................. 381
APPENDIX 11 FOGEL’S PRINCIPLES OF THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT ................................ 382
APPENDIX 12 CASE STUDY: REFLECTIVE PRACTICE WITHIN TEACHER EDUCATION . 385
A12.1 MEASURING EMBODIMENT .......................................................................................... 385
A12.2 EFFECTIVE REFLECTING ............................................................................................... 387
A12.3 SCORES FROM THE BIS................................................................................................... 388
A12.4 PERCEPTIONS OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE ................................................................ 391
A12.5 THE PURPOSE OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE ................................................................ 394
A12.6 SUPPORTING A REFLECTIVE PRACTICE .................................................................... 395
A12.7 SUPPORTING LEARNERS THROUGH REFLECTIVE PRACTICE .............................. 397
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1 INTERCONNECTED PROCESS OF SESSIONS, REFLECTION AND ANALYSIS ..................... 37
FIGURE 2 SOURCES OF DATA......................................................................................................................... 44
FIGURE 3 CHILD'S POSE, BALASANA .............................................................................................................. 76
FIGURE 4 CHILDREN WRITING AND SKETCHING IN SCIENCE WEEK .................................................. 81
FIGURE 5 RESTING IN PRONE POSITION ................................................................................................... 103
FIGURE 6 MI.'S REFLECTIONS ON HIS BRAIN ........................................................................................... 107
FIGURE 7 L. DREW HER MIND ...................................................................................................................... 108
FIGURE 8 DARK THEN LIGHT MIND ........................................................................................................... 109
FIGURE 9 WE USE ARE (SIC) BODY TO MOVE AND DANCE .................................................................. 119
FIGURE 10 A. WHAT AND WHY WE MOVE ................................................................................................ 119
FIGURE 11 K. RUNNING ................................................................................................................................. 122
FIGURE 12 K. WHY WE MOVE ...................................................................................................................... 123
FIGURE 13 T. WHY, WHAT AND HOW WE MOVE ..................................................................................... 124
FIGURE 14 D. WE MOVE SO WE CAN... ....................................................................................................... 124
FIGURE 15 E. DIFFERENT MOVES ................................................................................................................ 125
FIGURE 16 CH.'S PIPE-CLEANER MODEL ................................................................................................... 126
FIGURE 17 C.'S PIPE-CLEANER MODEL ...................................................................................................... 127
FIGURE 18 L. "VERY EASY IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY…” .................................................................... 134
FIGURE 19 M "I LIKE SEEING PEOPLES EMOTIONS..." ............................................................................ 135
FIGURE 20 D. "IT WAS MORE EASYIER TO TAKE A PHOTO..." .............................................................. 136
FIGURE 21 "I FELT IT THERE" ....................................................................................................................... 137
FIGURE 22 J.'S RANGE OF EMOTIONS ......................................................................................................... 139
FIGURE 23 E. DRAWING ‘ANGRY’ ............................................................................................................... 140
FIGURE 24 HOW E. MIGHT MOVE WHEN FEELING EMOTIONS ............................................................ 140
FIGURE 25 EMOTIONS AND HOW EL. FELT ............................................................................................... 141
FIGURE 26 P.'S EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS .............................................................................................. 142
FIGURE 27 POSTER SHOWING EMOTIONS ................................................................................................ 143
FIGURE 28 "I HEART STRETCH" ................................................................................................................... 144
FIGURE 29 P. "I FELT IT STRETCH IN MY LEGS" ...................................................................................... 144
FIGURE 30 "I KNOW WHEN SOMEONE IS STRECHING (SIC)..." ............................................................. 145
FIGURE 31 A. "WHEN I STRETCH..."............................................................................................................. 147
FIGURE 32 R. "HAVE FUN SEE YOU LATER" ............................................................................................. 152
FIGURE 33 B.'S MOUSE POSE ........................................................................................................................ 158
FIGURE 34 IN THE MOUSE POSE IT’S EASIER TO RELAX ...................................................................... 159
FIGURE 35 SHAPES TO BE STILL.................................................................................................................. 161
FIGURE 36 M. "WHEN I AM MOVING I CAN'T SEE..." ............................................................................... 162
FIGURE 37 WHEN I AM STILL I CAN HERE (SIC) ...................................................................................... 162
FIGURE 38 THIS REMINDS ME OF MY DOG ............................................................................................... 165
FIGURE 39 RECEPTION AND YEAR 1'S WAYS TO BALANCE ................................................................. 166
FIGURE 40 BALANCING ................................................................................................................................. 168
FIGURE 41 J. “I THINK IT IS EASYER TO BE BY MYSELF WHEN WE DO BALINGCING (SIC)” ....... 171
FIGURE 42 MI. "YOU HAVE TO STAY STILL…” ........................................................................................ 172
FIGURE 43 BALANCE ON A TIGHT ROPE ................................................................................................... 173
FIGURE 44 BALANCE IS LIKE A JOURNEY ................................................................................................ 174
FIGURE 45 B., T., AND R.'S POSTER.............................................................................................................. 176
FIGURE 46 E.'S POWER IN MY BODY .......................................................................................................... 179
FIGURE 47 J.'S POWER IN MY BODY ........................................................................................................... 179
FIGURE 48 GROUP 1 HEART .......................................................................................................................... 183
FIGURE 49 GROUP 1 HEART .......................................................................................................................... 183
FIGURE 50 GROUP 2 HEART .......................................................................................................................... 184
FIGURE 51 GROUP 2 HEART .......................................................................................................................... 184
FIGURE 52 S.'S BIG BIG HEART .................................................................................................................... 186
FIGURE 53 L'S "IT IS EASY IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT OTHER PEOPLE" ..................................... 213
FIGURE 54 R.'S REINDEER ............................................................................................................................. 219
FIGURE 55 M.’S BALANCE PICTURE ........................................................................................................... 231
FIGURE 56 M. 'MAD' AND 'LOST' .................................................................................................................. 237
FIGURE 57 M.’S POSTER ................................................................................................................................. 241
FIGURE 58 JOURNALING ABOUT BEING STILL ........................................................................................ 264
FIGURE 59 JOURNALING ABOUT BALANCE ............................................................................................. 265
FIGURE 60 MI. JOURNALING THROUGH WRITING AND DRAWING .................................................... 273
FIGURE 61 P. "I SPIN A ROUND" ................................................................................................................... 274
FIGURE 62 D. BALANCING ON ONE LEG .................................................................................................... 274
FIGURE 63 B. "IT'S HARD TO CONCENTRATE..." ...................................................................................... 275
FIGURE 64 L. HOW WE MOVE AND FEEL EMOTION ............................................................................... 276
FIGURE 65 A'S PICTURE OF A GORGE WALK ............................................................................................ 277
FIGURE 66 POSTER BY C., L., AND E. .......................................................................................................... 281
FIGURE 67 L.'S NOTES FROM SCIENCE WEEK .......................................................................................... 372
FIGURE 68 T.S THOUGHTS FOR SCIENCE WEEK ...................................................................................... 373
FIGURE 69 A.'S GIRAFFE ................................................................................................................................ 373
FIGURE 70 T.'S HERON ................................................................................................................................... 374
FIGURE 71 K.'S CAT ......................................................................................................................................... 374
FIGURE 72 E.'S HEXOPUS ............................................................................................................................... 375
FIGURE 73 M.'S FUTURISTIC ANIMAL ........................................................................................................ 375
FIGURE 74 R. SPINNING AROUND ............................................................................................................... 376
FIGURE 75 C.'S WANTING TO TAKE PICTURES ........................................................................................ 376
FIGURE 76 B.'S MOUSE POSE ........................................................................................................................ 377
FIGURE 77 THE EXPLORER SEEING THE LION SEEING THE GIRAFFE, SEEING THE HERON… .... 378
FIGURE 78 THEN THERE WAS PANDEMONIUM! ...................................................................................... 379
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1 TABLE TO SHOW RESEARCH QUESTIONS, METHODS AND DATA SOURCES .................... 35
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
The body, our bodies, can be thought of, described and experienced in many ways. They can
be seen as vehicles for consciousness, as separate and sometimes troublesome containers for
our mind (Plato, 2009). Descartes (1641/2007) wrote that the body was nothing but a
machine. In contrast, Whitehead (2007) states that we do not have a body, rather, we are
embodied. Bodies can be seen as tools with which we achieve performance in spheres such as
elite sport or dance (Dyck & Archetti, 2003; Evans, Davies, & Wright, 2004; Sparkes &
Smith, 2002). They can be viewed as mechanisms which are vital for maintaining health and
well-being or as machines that come to our attention most when faulty (Leder, 1990). They
can be seen as the means by which we experience the world and interact with it in either a
philosophical sense (Middendorf, 1990; Merleau-Ponty, 2002) or experiential one (Hartley,
1989). Our bodies are subject to discourse in sociology (Markula & Pringle, 2006), education
(Bresler, 2004), sport (Bailey & Kirk, 2008), dance (Pickard, 2007; Stinson, 2004) and
therapy (Kirschenbaum & Henderson, 1990). They can be viewed in terms of identity (Dyck
& Archetti, 2003), body image (Oliver & Lalik, 2001), disability (Fitzgerald, 2005), sexuality
and gender (Wellard, 2002; 2007; 2009). Approaches to working with the body run the
gamut from skill acquisition (Bailey, 2003), martial arts or ‘eastern movement disciplines’
such as aikido (Linden, 2002), from bodywork (Johnson, 1995), to mindfulness training
(Langer, 1989) and beyond. Our bodies change as we age, from developing infants (Piaget,
1928) to children and adolescents (Bjorklund & Ellis, 2005), adults and through to old age.
As well as aging, injury, disability and ill-health can affect how we use and view ourselves
and others (Sparkes & Smith, 2002).
1
I view my body as the embodiment of me. The physical expression of me within this world.
As such I can train, exercise, express and create with it and through it. Although my own
perception and understanding of my body is actually at odds with that last sentence, as by
terming my body an ‘it’ I am objectifying a part of myself. The practice I have developed and
which informs my perceptions and understandings is a reflexive practice. It could even be
called an embodied reflexive practice as I use the information from my senses (touch, smell,
kinaesthesia, proprioception, sight, imagination, hearing, imagery and internal awareness) to
feed into a reflective and reflexive process of understanding myself, the world that surrounds
me and others that move within the world. My reflexive process is “rooted in experiences of
…[my]…kinetic/tactile-kinesthetic…[body]” (Sheets-Johnstone, 2010, p. 112). The
exactness of language, and the nature that language can express the experience of my
embodied self forms a part of the practice itself. My work combines the embodied forms in
which I have experience; primarily yoga (Pattabhi Jois, 1999), Authentic Movement (Adler,
2002) and Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy (IBMT) (Hartley, 1989), as well as
a background in science, education and research. I have applied this work as an on-going
process in my life but also with infants, families, artists, dancers, athletes, education and
health professionals, and with children as part of their school day.
This thesis is a reflexive account of a phenomenological study of children’s experiences of
their embodied selves. Children aged from four to eleven attended sessions of yoga,
movement and developmental play within school time over a period of two years. In each
session they had time to reflect on their experiences using journaling, drawing and markmaking as well as talking to each other. They expressed themselves through movement,
modelling and talking. I am not seeking to locate this work within a formal, explicit
2
theoretical framework, except that that fits with the principles of embodiment and somatic
movement.
‘Embodiment’ can be used to describe the way in which our bodies are used to represent
ourselves at an individual or cultural level. ‘Bodywork’ thus means work that is done on the
body to change its appearance or function (Crossley, 2006). This would be the definition
used by sociologists such as Shilling (2005; 2008) or Crossley (2006). For example,
Crossley’s work on Reflexive Embodiment includes “practices of body modification,
maintenance and...body-image” (ibid p. 1). Although he includes feelings and emotions we
have about our bodies in his discussions of the social and constructed meanings attached to
diverse body practices such as tattooing, eating and exercise, his view of embodiment does
not necessarily mean a self-awareness and consciousness being brought to the feelings and
sensations within the body. Crossley is representative of most sociologists in this regard.
Embodiment and somatic movement are used within this thesis to describe the phenomena of
movement as experienced from within. Hanna is credited with first using the phrase ‘somatic’
in the 1970s. He uses it to mean the living body, from the Greek root σωμα, and the term
‘bodywork’ equates to the skilful touch utilised in hands-on work and manipulation
techniques designed to facilitate awareness of the body (Juhan, 1987). My use of the term
‘embodiment’ equates to both a state of being and a process of learning about the self.
Embodiment is an on-going process of bringing conscious self-awareness to and about the
body. So, it is important to understand that the work reported in this thesis rests on
“fundamentally different assumptions” to those of sociologists (Totton, 2009, p. 189). It does
not follow that sociologists insights are irrelevant to my concerns.
3
Somatic movement practices are approaches to movement that involve “the use of sensorymotor learning to gain greater voluntary control of one’s physiological process” (Hanna,
1990), and focus on a client–centred, non-judgemental ethos (Kirschenbaum & Henderson,
1990). Students practice yoga to develop self-acceptance and strength, both physical and
mental, clarify the mind and enhance a mind-body connection (Farhi, 2000). Somatic
movement therapy incorporates developmental movement patterns, the emotional content
present in movement, the physiology of the body and the words in which we speak of and
process movement (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993). Any activity from observing the breath or
paying attention to the motility of the cells in our body can be somatic movement. It includes
processes by which the absent or invisible body described by Merleau-Ponty (2002) and
Leder (1990) becomes more present or visible. Somatic movement education (SME) is
therefore “the educational field which examines the structure and function of the body as
processes of lived experience, perception and consciousness” (Linden, 1994).
In contrast to classical theories, ‘somatic’ implies there is an underlying philosophical belief
that the mind is embodied. Classically, Plato defined the body as an “endless source of
trouble” (Russell, 1946, p. 151) and Socrates is credited with describing it as “a hindrance in
the acquisition of knowledge” (ibid, p. 150). This duality of mind and matter, or body and
soul has been associated with the power, classically associated with Descartes, imbalance and
patriarchal discourses where the body is ascribed the lesser valued nature/female and the mind
the more valued intellect/culture/male (Gatens, 1988). Not all somatic movement forms are
explicit about their philosophy. They do share an implicit or explicit belief that it is desirable
to balance the mind and body through exploring the “relationship between body and mind in
4
movement” (Hartley, 2004 p. 4) and exploring a balance where “mind doesn’t dominate body,
it becomes body– body and mind are one” (Pert, 1999, pp. 82 - 3).
Both yoga and somatics work from the assumption that embodiment is both a state of being
and an on-going process (Hanna, 1988). Patanjali states yoga’s aim to be “the cessation of
movements in the consciousness” (Iyengar, 1993, p. 46), and that “verbal knowledge devoid
of substance is fancy or imagination” (Iyengar, 1993, p. 55). Although yoga has been
described as a science, philosophy and an art (Iyengar, 1966) it is very much an experience
rooted in the physical as much as the spiritual world. This can be compared to Leder who
states “I dwell in a world of ideas, paying little heed to my physical sensations or posture”
(1990, p. 1). However, Leder states explicitly that he believes human experience to be
incarnated, or ‘embodied’. Is this the difference between thoughts or a theoretical process of
embodiment and an experiential one? I will explore the idea of what it is to experience
embodiment in an articulate and expressive way, grounded in the both the physical and mental
processes of doing so. Further to this, I will consider what it means to reflect in an embodied
way, both as an adult researcher, practitioner, therapist, educator and as a child.
My study is not intended to be an intervention study, but an exploration of how children
perceive, express, and reflect on their experiences of embodiment, and I have taken a
reflexive stance throughout. The study was comprised of three phases of sessions: the first
involved working with all the children in the school on themes of Finding Shapes, Organising
and Moving On; the second focused on Why, What and How We Move; and the final phase,
with only the oldest children in the school, explored emotions, sensations, reflection and
expression.
5
This thesis is organised in two parts. Chapters 1-3 comprise the research context and
overview of Eastern Philosophy and yoga, Authentic Movement and Integrated Bodywork
and Movement Therapy; and Methodological Approaches, including a breakdown of the three
phases of the study, and ethical considerations. Chapters 5-7 are the Findings, Discussions
and Conclusions: Embodiment of Children; Embodiment and Learning; and Embodiment and
Reflection.
My research questions were:
1. Do children experience themselves as embodied beings?
2. If so, how do they express, create and perceive their embodied self?
3. Does an experience of somatic movement within a school day affect ability to reflect
and process in an embodied way?
The main findings of the study were that children can and do experience themselves as
embodied beings. They utilised movement, journaling, drawing, mark-making and
verbalisation to express their sense of embodiment. They appeared to be able to reflect on
their experiences and develop their embodied self-awareness, processing their emotions,
sensations and feelings, and relating the material in the sessions to their lives. Several
children mentioned how they had integrated and maintained aspects of the work. These
included emotional self-regulation, awareness of others and being still. The children spoke
about how they valued the playful ‘fun’ nature of the sessions. The communicative aspects of
the approach also seemed important to the children, both the sharing and working with each
other, and producing displays for others in the school. The development of an embodied self-
6
awareness and reflective practice through somatic movement education may also have
relevance for teachers, educators, and practitioners.
7
CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH CONTEXT, YOGA AND SOMATIC MOVEMENT
PRACTICES
This chapter gives an overview of the main influences of the movement work used in the
study. Firstly I give a summary of the research context and range of methods that have been
used to study somatics or yoga. Secondly I introduce the philosophy and practice of yoga,
and thirdly explore those somatic forms that influenced this study; namely Integrative
Bodywork and Movement Therapy (Hartley, 1989), Body-Mind Centering® (BainbridgeCohen, 1993), and Authentic Movement (Adler, 2002). These forms, along with yoga, were
woven together to provide the basis and material with which the participants worked to
increase their awareness of, and to experience their moving embodied selves.
2.1 OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH
Somatic movement and embodiment are terms that are used to describe the phenomena of
movement as experienced from within. These, and similar phrases, are found in work in
diverse fields including sport pedagogy (Côté & Hay, 2002), physical education (Bailey &
Kirk, 2008), dance movement therapy (Ritter, 1996), psychology (Fogel, 2009), education
(Tremmel, 1993), special needs education (Barlow et al, 2006), philosophy (SheetsJohnstone, 2009), psychotherapy (Hartley, 2004) and health (Junker et al, 2004). The
language used in and around somatics and the body is an area that can be approached
differently in research studies.
A review of papers that have applied somatic work with groups or individuals and reported on
the results, or looked at the effect of somatics on individuals already practicing was
undertaken. The papers were found through an internet search using the terms: ‘somatic’,
‘movement’, ‘embodiment’, and ‘yoga’. References were followed up where appropriate.
8
The selection of papers was not a comprehensive review of the literature, but an overview of
the variety of research methods and approaches that have been used. Some of the papers were
critical in style, others presented a journalistic view of the work. Both qualitative and
quantitative methods were utilised. A full table of the papers can be found in Appendix 1.
The research methods used in the selection were diverse, and reflected the range of methods
and sampling seen within the social sciences. For example Prichard’s (2008) study on
exercise and self-objectification was a relatively large scale questionnaire based study
(n=571), and Green’s (1999) qualitative description of the somatic body within dance
education was a naturalistic qualitative data collection process of the experiences of
participants of one dance course. Three papers were concerned with ‘exercise’ or physical
education (Fitzgerald, 2005; Linden, 1994; Prichard, 2008). Ten of them discuss their
findings with relation to adults (e.g. Anderson, 2006), and four with relation to children (e.g.
Fitzerald, 2005). Two discuss both adults and children (e.g. Cullen-Powell & Barlow, 1995).
Five of the studies report on direct interventions of work with groups (e.g. Cullen-Powell &
Barlow, 1995). Five papers report findings from questionnaires (e.g. Junker et al, 2004),
interviews (e.g. Green, 1999) and focus groups (e.g. Fitzerald, 2005). One paper uses a case
study (Linden, 1994); one is a statistical meta-analysis (Ritter, 1996).
The findings of the papers generally indicated the need for further quantitative and qualitative
research. The meta-analysis (Ritter, 1996) called for a better design for projects so that they
included control groups and used standardised measures for the variables that were under
investigation. These variables included; mood, balance, movement ability, anxiety, bodyawareness and self-concept. The phenomenological and experiential studies of somatic-type
9
work identified themes of transference of material into everyday life, enhanced problem
solving ability, warmth, an increased ability to focus at work, being more attentive, being
more present to the moment, feeling happy and overall feelings of well-being. A range of
Complementary and Alternative Therapies were investigated by Junker et al (2004), in which
they found that although the therapies had not been evaluated for relative effectiveness, safety
or mechanism of action, and that costs were not reimbursed by health insurance companies,
an increasing number of people were turning to these methods. The influence of cost, placebo
effects and patient expectations were all areas indicated for further research.
A range of methodological approaches were used within the remainder of the studies. The
benefits of the Self-Development Program (SDP) (Cullen-Powell & Barlow, 1995) were
perceived to be significant by the teachers of the child participants; however no data were
gathered from the participants directly. This could be an element in Cullen-Powell’s work
that might be explored further, if compared with the findings from Fitzgerald (2005) that
identified the importance of the nurturing relationship between the students and the teacher.
Neither the therapeutic nature of the SDP nor the therapeutic relationship that would have
existed between the students and their tutor was discussed. However as Cullen-Powell chose
to work with complementary therapists trained to deliver the SDP it is likely that this would
have been a professional and therapeutic role developed by the tutor.
Four different self-care programmes intended to affect the low retention rates of staff were
offered in Raingruber and Robinson’s study (2007). The content of each class was stated
explicitly; from the style of yoga, the book from which guided meditations were taken, the
format of a reiki session and each tai chi class. Although their study was phenomenological
10
in nature, they did not choose to focus on how the participants responded to their tutors or the
choices of classes. They did not report on why participants chose the class they did, nor
whether they wished for it to continue. The reflective questions were focused primarily on
work issues. However the participants reported effects and transferences into their daily lives.
Khalsar’s study on yoga and chronic insomnia (2004) found positive effects by the
participants. Although this was a controlled study, the author did compare the findings to a
non-controlled study. The exercises themselves were found to be ‘tolerable’ by the majority
of participants who completed the eight week programme, although no mention is made
whether the poses were taught as purely physical exercises or whether the participants were
encouraged and supported to increase their body awareness.
The initial stages of work to develop a scale that measures body intelligence were reported by
Anderson (2006). She defined this to be comprised of three sub-scales. If standardised and
validated, it has potential as a measure that could be analysed quantitatively. This could then
be used at baseline and post-intervention in studies that focus on somatic-type work with
individuals and groups. It did not seem particularly suitable for those with a good knowledge
of somatic practices as there would be a large temptation to answer as ‘one should do’ rather
than be honest.
The case study used to illustrate Linden’s concept of Somatic Literacy (1994) only showed
positive aspects of Linden’s own approach to somatics. He stated the benefits, and used his
case study to illustrate it without reference to other cases or research. The client in this case
did not speak with his own voice, as practitioner observations and reflections were used.
11
Green (1999) used a phenomenological approach to gather information from students on a
somatics course about body image in dance. She did not choose to produce a critical study of
the somatics, but instead used the somatic work to build up a space where the students felt
safe and were able to express themselves. In fact, there is a lack of a critical element in many
of these studies.
The stories of somatic practitioners were collected in Beaudoin’s work (1999), and these then
thematised. They were not subjected to a discourse analysis, as Wright (2000) chose to do
with the transcripts of a physical education lesson and a Feldenkrais class. Themes were used
to analyse the journals from both Green’s (1999) and Rainbruger & Robinson’s (2007) studies
and the focus group transcripts from Fitzgerald’s work (2005).
The studies that chose to use questionnaires (e.g. Junker et al., 2004; Prichard, 2008) to elicit
information from respondents as their sole means of data collection did not offer qualitative
data in the voices of the participants detailing their personal experiences. There is therefore
less evidence to understand why they found the results that they did.
When considering the methodology for this research project, this overview was very useful.
The importance of capturing the voices of the participants seemed crucial when exploring
work that has direct application to an individual’s inner experience. The role of the tutor and
the therapeutic relationship that can develop between a tutor and the class is an area that
merits further exploration. If designing a large intervention project it could be appropriate to
use a control group and collect information from standardised tests. These tests could be
12
determined partly by information gathered in a phenomenological study of participants’
experiences.
2.2 PRINCIPLES OF SOMATIC MOVEMENT
Somatic movement, whether it is educational or therapeutic, includes a diverse range of
practices and methods. An outline of some of these can be found in Appendix 2. Practices
such as yoga are many thousands of years old (Iyengar, 1966). Other practices have been
developed by individuals within the last hundred years. Three principles set somatic
movement practices apart from other dance, sport or exercise forms.
The first principle sets out the ‘What?’ of somatic movement. The starting point is
that the body and mind are connected and through movement we can increase our
body’s intelligence and our mind’s embodiment.
The second principle answers ‘Why?’. Somatic movement is an on-going process, an
exploration of self that is undertaken as a life-time commitment or path for many
practitioners. It is possible to bring awareness to every movement and moment of our
body. The belief that it will enable us to develop towards a higher sense of self is a
reason for taking somatic movement off the mat, or out of the room and into every
aspect of life.
The ‘How?’ of somatic movement is through conscious awareness, or the intention
behind the practice. Not all somatic forms will look the same, nor will they
necessarily feel the same. However each practice, therapy or technique will either
have explicitly defined these principles or implicitly adhere to them.
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2.3 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY AND YOGA PHILOSOPHY
The many forms of yoga, and the Eastern philosophy that underpins it, can also be considered
somatic practices. I use the word ‘can’, as the study of philosophy without the experiential
awareness of the embodied self becomes a theoretical practice. Likewise, the practice of yoga
as only a means to fitness may or may not lead into an increased somatic awareness. Yoga is
not a religion, nor is it easily classified as a philosophy, science or mythology, but can be
considered as something more resembling a Western form of psychotherapy, or “a critique of
culture” (Watts, 1961, p. 7), as it has at its heart the aim of personal liberation, a concept
described as individuation or self-actualisation. The purely physical aspect of yoga, asana,
has been emphasised in recent years, sometimes to the exclusion of all else, turning yoga
practice into an exercise form. As such, it has been “generally accepted as being highly
positive” (Carbonneau et al, 2010, p. 452). They describe yoga as focussing on “the
development and maintenance of the natural balance between the mind, the body, and the
soul” (ibid. p. 456). The benefits of yoga, as separate to those of any other physical exercise,
would be conducive to adaptive physical and psychological outcomes.
“The benefits of yoga have been known for centuries and are being increasingly
corroborated by scientific research. Notably, research reveals that the yoga practice
can enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote respiratory and
cardiovascular function, and enhance psychological well-being. The yoga practice has
also been shown to diminish anxiety as well as to increase positive affect and decrease
negative affect.” (ibid p. 456)
The core belief, that a body/mind split or duality as exemplified by Western culture is not a
desired state of being, but a cultivation of conscious awareness in the individual, which can
lead to a greater health and wellbeing, creativity, choice and responsibility (Hartley, 2004) is
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the intention behind many movement practices including yoga. The traditional Eastern view
of the body and mind is that they are inseparable aspects of the same human existence
(Dychtwald, 1977).
Yoga is often translated as meaning union, yoking or communion, and is “a poise of the soul
which enables one to look at life in all its aspects evenly” (Gandhi, 1929, p. ix). Yoga is one
of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy, and was ordered, co-ordinated and
systemised by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. Although yoga has been associated with religion,
including Hinduism and Buddhism, it is not in itself a religion. In fact, yoga is more often
described as an Art, or a Science by senior practitioners (Iyengar, 1966). The perception of
yoga as a religion has led, however, to its banishment from some church halls.
The goal of samadhi, or enlightenment is the purpose behind all yoga. By controlling the
mind and developing mental discipline the student can reach a state of independence, liberty,
or freedom from the world around. This does not mean death, or unconsciousness, but an
ability to live, but not be ruled by circumstances. Wood (1959) talks of the will governing
“both mind and body...all things of the body and senses, and all states of the activities of the
mind are merely phenomena, playthings” (p. 20). In the West, yoga is commonly thought of
as only consisting of the third limb of the astanga system – of physical exercise. As such it is
often found in gyms, and practiced by those wanting to achieve a ‘yoga body’. However, the
underlying philosophy of yoga can be present in the practice, regardless of how a student may
initially encounter it, as the belief is that changing the physical body can change the mind and
emotions. A student, seeing how a yoga practice can transform his body, may then grow in
the strength needed to change his behaviours. However, the effect of yoga on a body, and the
15
intention behind the practice, may be different to that of other activities. Claims about the
effects of yoga include: “yoga gave me superior health” (the alternative title to a book by
Bernard (1939)); “yoga induces a primary sense of measure and proportion” (Iyengar, 1966,
p. 11); “yoga is a self-empowering process which instils within its practitioners a confidence
and a deep internal knowledge of the subtle workings of our body” (Swenson, 1999, p. 14);
and “[yoga] is the key to a life of peace and contentment” (Devereux, 1998, p. 5).
Bandhas are seals or locks of muscular tissue applied by the yoga practitioner in certain styles
of classical yoga. There are three bandhas; jalandhara bandha, uddiyana bandha and mula
(moola) bandha, which are located in the throat, abdomen and perineum. For the three
bandhas, “contraction at a physical level activates and awakens hitherto dormant faculties in
the brain and mind, usually present in only the most evolved mind. Mastery of the bandhas,
therefore, leads to the fullest realisation of our potential” (Buddhananda, 1978, p. 6).
Regardless of the esoteric effects that are attributed to the use of bandhas, they are seen as
“the very core of hatha yoga practice. They represent the most subtle and potent difference
between the postures of hatha yoga and gymnastic exercise” (Devereux, 1998, p. 48) or a part
of a practice that first “demands the mastery of asanas and the strength and discipline arising
there from” (Iyengar, 1966, p. 431). In my own practice, and when I teach adults, I emphasise
the use of mula bandha in order to engage the sacrum, and the vertebrae in the spine. With
children this equates to a focus on posture, finding the muscular support for the back and its
movements, and beginning an experiential awareness of the internal structures of the body.
Other aspects of a strong yoga practice include a strong physical contact with the floor. This
may be through the feet, the hands, or any other part of the body. A balanced foundation will
16
mean that weight is distributed evenly through the body. In practice this means that the feet
are spread with the natural arch, when standing knees are not locked. The care and attention
given to both to posture and a kinaesthetic awareness of posture is integral to how I teach.
This may be as simple as asking people to sit, then asking them to slump down and sag and
notice what it feels like before finding a more balanced and comfortable sitting position.
Children who had not been aware of their body before may use this to start being aware of
how they hold themselves in space. In addition I would also use more specific instructions,
such as to spread their fingers wide. I am aware of what I do with my own body so that as
they imitate me, they imitate a strong foundation. The principles of alignment could be
described as those below, and they map well onto the material covered with the children in the
research study where sessions included spirals and twists, balance, and ways to be still.
1. Opposition – the balancing of forces of equal pressure in opposing spirals so that
left/right, front/back, top/bottom, inside/outside and centre/peripheries are not
imbalanced.
2. Stability – so that the muscles are active and pulled into the bones.
3. Balance – a distribution of activeness and awareness through the points mentioned
above.
4. Effortlessness – the body as a whole and individual points should feel released and at
ease as a result of stabilisation and balance in opposing points (Devereux, 1998).
Breathing and a focus point are two other aspects of yoga asana practice that differentiate it
from other exercise forms. In yoga, the breath enters and leaves the body through the nose.
In a classical astanga practice, ujayi breathing is done throughout, where the bandhas are
applied (lightly), and the breath makes a sound in the throat. The practice can then take place
17
within a set number of breaths. For children, the awareness is brought to breathing through
the nose, and a synchronisation of movement with the breath, as well as becoming aware of
how the quality of the breath can be noticed and used as a clue and a key to awareness of
other aspects of their body and mind. The focal point, or drushti, in a classical practice would
be the practice of focusing an attentive awareness on specific points in the body. That
awareness should be direct, immediate and effortless, and involves not only the entry into and
out of a yoga pose, but also the awareness of what it feels like, how it feels, how the opposing
spirals of force or energy through the body are balanced, and how the breath moves the body
while in practice, and how the practice affects the body after it. Again, elements of this are
brought into work with even the youngest of children as they learn to become aware of their
bodies as they move.
Stillness, or the “moving into stillness in order to experience the truth of who you are”
(Schiffmann, 1996, p. 4) is an alternative way of expressing the focus of a yoga asana
practice. By allowing our awareness to focus in our body in a non-judgemental and accepting
way, it is possible to release the negative perceptions that are held by the mind and the body.
A practitioner who endorses a very strong, powerful and dynamic practice describes an
experience of “a healing sense of relief followed by a profoundly soothing inner peace, an
even ‘at-easeness’ – a stillness” (Schiffmann, 1996, p. 6).
Yoga, as a mind-body exercise, was identified by Prichard (2008) as a physical activity that
increases the direct experience of the body, and one that could be particularly effective in
reducing self-objectification. The focus on the internal sensations and experiences rather than
a competitive, performance based on external foci, allow it to be a process whereby
18
practitioners can increase their bodily awareness and responsiveness to sensations. The
increased practice of, and value given to, listening to the body for guidance, may also
diminish the importance that is given to physical appearance in an individual’s physical selfconcept and sense of self. Both children and adults have been shown to increase their senses
of body acceptance after a short course in yoga and body awareness exercises (Daubenmier,
2005). Yoga was shown to be more associated with positive body experiences, less selfobjectification, a greater satisfaction with physical appearance, and less disordered eating than
no, or only aerobic physical exercise (Prichard, 2008).
Yoga as a philosophy and form has been known of for over 3000 years. The forms that are
accessible and known today in the West are varied, however, they do share an underlying
philosophy, whether this is made explicit or not. Many aspects of yoga, for example, the
focus on the inner experience and awareness of the body in space, are also found in somatic
movement practices. Like somatic movement practices, yoga can be used therapeutically,
educationally, and for self-development.
2.4 WESTERN SOMATIC MOVEMENT PRACTICES
In the West, somatic movement therapy, practices, and bodywork approaches were being
written about and practiced in the first few decades of the last century. The term ‘bodywork’
implies an element of touch that may include, but is not limited to, massage or physical
therapy: “a variety of manipulative therapies” (Juhan, 1987, p. xix). By affecting the nervous
system through tactile stimulation and movement it is possible to influence the organisation of
the mind and body, and the relationship we have with the environment around us: “movement
is the unifying bond between the mind and body, and sensations are the substance of that
bond” (Juhan, 1987, p. xxv). Moving the body through different positions, and using it
19
differently, can affect our emotional attitude (Cacioppo et al, 1993). There are many different
types of bodywork. The bodywork practitioner would not necessarily work as an
interventionist, but rather a facilitator to aid a growing sense of self-awareness, a sense of the
present embodied moment, and from that point a choice of alternatives.
2.4.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF TOUCH
Most bodywork practices involve ‘hands-on’ work or touch. The use of touch, and the
significance of human touch on the skin has long been recognised as important both to our
psyche and within language (Montagu, 1971): “Touch is ‘chief’ amongst the language of our
senses” (Westland, 2011, p. 21), and is “intrinsic to communication” (ibid p. 25). If a
moment is significant, we call it ‘touching’, if a person is irritable, we call them ‘touchy’.
‘Feelings’ refer to emotions, and someone who is ‘unfeeling’ could be referred to as ‘callous’,
which originates from the Latin callum meaning hard skin. Being thin or thick-skinned, again
implies a judgement on emotional capacity, and to be ‘tactful’ is to have a sense of what is
right when dealing with other people. In somatic movement education (SME) and therapy,
there is often an importance placed on the expression, in language, of experience (Fogel,
2009).
In the classic experiment by Harlow (1958), he showed that contact from a tactile mother
substitute was vitally important in neo-natal monkeys, more so than whether they were nursed
or not. If, as children, we grow up without positive touch, then through somatic movement
practices, including bodywork, it is possible to address the psychological and physiological
issues that may result. The therapeutic potential of touch has been shown in animals, where
an immunity to stress hormones was developed in animals that had been gentled after
weaning (Montagu, 1971). Touch is therefore a “fundamental and essential ingredient of
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affection, and equally clearly, an essential element in the healthy development of every
organism” (Montagu, 1971, p. 25). For humans, this process would begin within the womb,
and then continue at birth. In an effort to change the practice of Western births, and to make
them less violent, Leboyer (1974), an obstetrician in France, wrote about ‘Birth without
Violence’. He believed that “to be born means to begin to breathe...To live freely is to
breathe freely…Supple and live and flexible…Your way of breathing was established– once
and for all- at the moment you were born” (Leboyer, 1974, pp. 99 - 100). Although not all
practitioners would agree that the patterns of breathing (and living) are irreversibly set at birth
(Hartley, 1989), the importance of a positive introduction to touch and human contact at birth
cannot be denied. Leboyer stated the importance of receiving touch in a baby’s early days
(1976). He also espoused the practice of yoga as an approach to life, but one that “is not a
necessity: it is one among many possible ways” (Leboyer, 1979, p. 6).
In Western society, there can be confusion about the purpose of touch. Weber (1990) put
forward the following three different perspectives or approaches to touch. Westland (2011)
expanded these and describes the first, physical-sensory view as “reductive, mechanistic, and
medical…[where]…the source of the touch is irrelevant” (ibid p. 18). In contrast, the second
psychological-humanistic perspective is more concerned with purposive and self-conscious
touch (ibid). The third, ‘I-Thou’ way of relating involves “one’s whole being touching
another’s whole being” (ibid), and is the description of touch that fits most closely with
Eastern approaches, and those developed in somatic therapy, as the touch is said to be
intentional and “the intention of the giver makes a difference to the touch” (ibid). In order to
address the Western approach to touch, and its effects, from the 1930s individuals began to
work with their own bodies, and those of other people, to develop the field that can
21
collectively be referred to as somatic movement (Olsen, 1998). Some turned to Eastern
influences such as yoga (Bernard, 1939), whilst others worked from a physiological
perspective to explore how the “whole body carries its meaning” (Todd, 1937). Although the
field now appears fragmented, the history of many pioneers can be connected through “an
identifiable web of connections” (Johnson, 1995, p. xii). These divisions sometimes occur
with the split between theory and practice, or practitioners who work in the field and unaware
of their heritage. Misunderstandings also occur when one element of a holistic practice (for
example tai chi chuan, acupuncture or yoga) is lifted out and practised independently. Often
practitioners “think of themselves as isolated from one another, and more unique or special
than they are. They often compete by exaggerating their claims, and devaluing the work of
others engaged in the same basic task of regaining a measure of fleshy sanity” (Johnson,
1995, p. xiv). The value of all somatic approaches is that they challenge “the dominant
models of exercise, manipulation, and self-awareness that alienate people from their bodies”
(ibid).
2. 5 INTEGRATIVE BODYWORK AND MOVEMENT THERAPY (IBMT) AND
BODY-MIND-CENTERING® (BMC®)
Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy were developed by Hartley, using the
principles of Body-Mind-Centering® (BMC®) as developed by Bainbridge-Cohen in the
United States in the 1970s. Bainbridge-Cohen was an occupational therapist and trained
dancer. She worked with children with cerebral palsy as well as teaching dance and working
with dancers on alignment problems. She trained as a physical therapist with Bobath, who
developed a revolutionary approach to working with cerebral palsy, and worked within
hospitals seeing both physical and psychological suffering. Bainbridge-Cohen wished to
work within the mainstream population, to “bring physical principles into the culture, where
22
they are accessible to the average person” (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993, p. 8). She began to use
ideas of effortlessness, and the lengthening rather than the stretching of muscles, taking
inspiration from modern dancer Erik Hawkins, who used Japanese aesthetics, Greek
civilisation and Zen Buddhism in his work. Rather than conform to the policy of bracing
children and mechanically altering their muscles through surgery, Bainbridge-Cohen wished
to reorganise the brain through a combination of movement and touch. She began to work
privately, using the developmental work with dancers and adults interested in movement. She
included experiential anatomy– the lived and experienced exploration of the body.
Bainbridge-Cohen continued to develop an approach to somatic movement that, “involves a
study of the relationship between body and mind in movement, through a detailed and subtle
exploration of human anatomy, physiology, infant development, movement and perception”
(Hartley, 2004, p. 4). The classes and groups that she led began with explorations of the
musculo-skeletal structure, then grew to include the organs and the nature of the other tissues
within the body; including the nervous system and the endocrine glands, the bodily fluids
(blood, lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, tissue and cellular fluids), and also the
perceptual movement process including the mouth, hands, eyes, nose and skin. She began to
notice that the quality of movement of each were very different, depending on what the
person was putting in his mind, and where he initiated movement from. Her students and
trainee teachers began to “perceive the different mind-states and feelings which emerged
depending on the place of initiation...as we change from one body area to another, the mind of
the room changes” (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993, p. 10). Although this type of exploratory
movement and bodywork was considered different and new by some, Bainbridge-Cohen
herself said:
23
“for yoga to have developed, somebody somewhere must have had the awareness that
one could initiate from all of the various organs. And in the martial arts, people speak
of points or centers, and I think it must be internal, organic energy they’re talking
about. I don’t feel what we’re doing is new; what I feel we’re offering is some kind of
translation into the Western vocabulary.” (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993, p. 11)
As one of Bainbridge-Cohen’s original students and teachers, Hartley developed her own
framework of therapy and training, integrating elements of her trainings in dance movement
therapy and transpersonal psychotherapy of psychosynthesis and process-orientated
psychology. Hartley’s identification of the ways in which “somatic work does touch upon
deep emotional and psychological processes” (2004, p. 28) and use of Authentic Movement
developed her graduates’ ‘Therapeutic Presence’, where “the therapist’s perceptions can be
offered to a client, but owned for what they are– her own interpretations, judgements and
projections” (Hartley, 2004, p. 30). In IBMT there is great importance placed on the
practitioner or therapist’s role in reflecting back to the client her own experience of the body,
and the intention of the practitioner’s touch.
This idea of the practitioner’s thought and will shaping the process has similarities to
Husserl’s approach to phenomenology where “through intentionality we will our entire world
into being and give it shape” (Zuesse, 1985, p. 53). Indeed, Thorburn states that “the essence
of an experience is its intentionality: the meaning of events, the meaning of embodied action
including kinaesthetic awareness of one’s movements and the importance of sensations as
they are experienced by the body” (2008, p. 265). This resonance between somatic movement
and phenomenology has implications for methodological choices within the study. Merleau-
24
Ponty articulated a concept of lived space, where, rather than being bound by reason/emotion
mind/body dichotomies, the subject’s experience is referenced through movement and
language (Thorburn, 2008). The psychological process of the client is emphasised in IBMT,
alongside experiential exploration of anatomy and movement patterns. Within IBMT, there is
a need for the client to be held in an unconditional and positive regard. In addition, the
practitioner needs to be aware of the psychological and emotional processes that may be
touched through somatic bodywork, whether they are addressed specifically or not. This
approach is termed Person, or Client-Centred (Rogers, 1967).
The line between therapist and educator in this area of somatic work is thin. There is debate
among somatic movement practitioners about what constitutes therapy or education– in part
driven by legislation in Europe and the U.S. regarding the qualifications, insurances and status
of practitioners. The somatic discourse is on-going in the UK in 2011 as the government
prepares to regulate psychotherapists and counsellors within the Health Professions Council
(www.hpc-uk.org, 2009). Due to the wide variety of somatic practices, the fact that often
they are associated with ‘New Age’ or ‘Alternative’ health practices, with a lack of evidence
to show effect, they are not widely accepted as bona fide therapies. Used educationally, they
are not necessarily subject to the same regulation. The UK Association for Humanistic
Psychology Practitioners has a category of Bodywork Therapist, which is defined as
“someone trained in one or more of the schools of body therapy, such as bioenergetics,
polarity therapy, postural integration, rebirthing etc, which tend to take the client into deep
emotional or unconscious material quite quickly” (www.ahpp.org, 2009). This definition
would include many somatic movement practices, if their training met the requirements for
hours and content. However, the definitions of therapy and education in somatic movement
25
education (SME) do not bear resemblance to ‘therapeutic education’ as described by
Ecclestone and Hayes (2009), which has more to do with their perception of a change in the
purpose of education rather than an exploration of the therapeutic and educational aspects of a
particular body of work.
In a rationale and explanation of IBMT as both a therapeutic and educational tool, Hartley
relates the development of her current work to that of Reich and Jung, who both emphasised
the need to treat a whole person. Reich saw character as a whole body attitude, with muscular
body armouring, and focused his work on healing the body/mind split. He was also the first
to articulate the concept of somatic resonance. Research has begun to show empirically what
the somatic practitioner, the meditator and the intuitive mover reported through experience;
that the mind, emotions and bodily processes are not separate, and that each influences the
other through subtle and complicated interactions. For example, neuro-peptides research
revealed that the body stores and receives these chemicals in many more locations than just
the brain as was originally thought (Pert, 1999), but was postulated by Bainbridge-Cohen in
her initial explorations of the body (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993). Pert has the view that, “mind
doesn’t dominate body, it becomes body– body and mind are one” (1999). The idea that the
Western view of a body/mind split is not based in physiological fact, may have begun to have
had an influence on the philosophical views. IBMT works to consciously align the body and
mind, identifying, articulating and differentiating and then integrating the smallest internal
cellular movements to the external expression of movement and mind, so promoting more
efficient functioning (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993). This efficiency, together with an awareness
of the relationships inside our embodied self, and the acting from that awareness creates a
state of knowing, of inner wisdom (Hartley, 1989).
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2.6 AUTHENTIC MOVEMENT
Authentic Movement is a ritualised form of movement or dance therapy created by
Whitehouse (1911–1979). It focuses on the relationship between a mover and a witness, and
gives equal weight to both the moving process and the verbal sharing of the mover’s and
witness’ experiences of the movement (Hartley, 2005). Because of the ritual of the form, it is
challenging to describe it without the words becoming jargonistic, as is the case with yoga
and its Sanskrit vocabulary. At its simplest, Authentic Movement involves moving from felt
internal impulses, and nurturing the feelings and emotions that are released. According to
Dance Movement Therapists, Authentic Movement offers a powerful form within which the
depths of the inner psyche can speak directly through the body: “making use of spontaneous
body movement that arose from inner kinaesthetic sensations, individuals recognised the
symbiotic nature of their communications which then opened the door to self-awareness and
possible change” (Chaiklin, 2009, p. 7). It is claimed that the discipline of bringing the bodily
experience into language works to heal the split that language can cause in the experience of
the self (ibid.). It offers a holding space, a feminine container, and a “practice of embodied
awareness that goes beyond therapy” (Hartley, 2004, p. 56). The differentiation of movement
originating from the unconscious rather than the conscious was part of Whitehouse’s practice
of embodying Jung’s process of active imagination. She separated movements that were
intentional, unintentional, and those that came from within the self, i.e. the sense of ‘I am
moving’, ‘I am being moved’, and an embodiment of both experiences. She believed that by
working with the unconscious self, we are able to access the emotional core of our complexes.
Further to this, it is possible to move between personal, transpersonal and collective impulses.
Further evolutions of the discipline of Authentic Movement were developed by Adler among
others. Whereas Whitehouse focused on the direct experience of the mover (Whitehouse,
27
1995), and the process of active imagination in movement, Adler addressed the direct
experience of both mover and witness (Hartley, 2004). Authentic Movement can be practised
in its ground form, with one mover and a witness. It is the role of the witness to create the
witness circle, a safe, held space in which the mover moves with eyes closed, following
internal impulses. The shutting of the eyes enables the mover to give her full attention to
what she senses internally and imagines. The form and expression of the inner story is
allowed to unfold, until, usually after a mutually agreed time, the witness signals the end of
the movement session by the ringing of a bell or other signal. Both the mover and the witness
attend to their own experiences whilst the mover moves, however it is the role of the witness
to contain the experience by marking the time boundary. The experiences are anchored into
the consciousness by recalling it to the witness, or recording it through artwork or writing.
The witness then offers her personal responses to the mover, helping to bring unconscious
material into consciousness, and to help integrate the unconscious with the conscious.
According to the Jungian process of active imagination, the final stage of integration occurs
without great effort and resistance, and from there it is possible to make changes in everyday
life (Adler, 2002).
When beginning Authentic Movement practice, the mover learns to become aware of her
bodily, kinaesthetic sense, to track her movements over time, and to be aware of the feelings,
sensations and images that evokes. This process is part of developing an inner witness. It is
more common to “observe with a critical, comparing or judgemental mind” (Weiss, 2009, p.
7) than to just observe. The inner witness can be compared to sakshin, the non-judging
friendly witness without expectation, that can be developed through yoga (Rosen, 2002), or
the Buddhist idea of an internal observer who, “if correctly trained, will be able to look at
28
ourselves without judgement, with equanimity, benevolence, acceptance, curiosity, passivity
and calm” (Weiss, 2009, p. 7). The soul is also translated as the seer, or witness, in Sanskrit
(Iyengar, 1993). The role of the external witness is to provide the containment within which
the mover can move. Usually she would sit at the edge of the space, and have a nonjudgemental, non-intrusive and compassionate presence towards the mover, and herself. The
witness embodies the process of her own encounters with the unconsciousness, and so
facilitates a depth in the movement work and process of the mover. It is the role of the
witness to support the mover. To own her own experiences, to provide a structure that is
contained, so that the mover can learn to contain herself as she develops her own inner
witness. The witness acts in service to the mover, not judging, analysing or interpreting the
mover’s experience. Any words offered that contain images, fantasies, thoughts, feelings or
sensations to the mover, are owned as such. After moving, the mover speaks first, and the
witness responds by sharing some of her own experience, choosing what is appropriate. The
process can enable the mover to feel clearly seen and accepted. Witnessing is likened by
Hartley to meditation (Hartley, 2004), and can have applications beyond the form of the
moving circle, in both professional and personal relationships. It is the process of sharing
through words that allows the expression into language of the experiences of the body, both as
mover and witness.
As the mover develops her inner witness, a skill that “becomes stronger only when we
practice it” (Weiss, 2009, p. 7), and learns to witness others, as a moving, silent or external
witness, she can begin to explore other forms of the discipline. Similarly, in a mindful
approach to psychotherapy, a therapist might introduce the idea of an internal observer, or
inner witness, and guide her client towards developing this (Weiss, 2009). In Authentic
29
Movement forms, the long circle is one whereby movers are able to move at the same time as
others. An agreed number of witnesses hold the space throughout, and movers are able to
move into and out of the moving space and witness circle throughout the time. Movers may
encounter each other, contacting another, and then choose to move with or from them. In a
long circle there may be one person who leads the session, who does not move, and contains
the time. Alternatively, there may be a peer responsibility, wherein the time keeping is
shared. In a long circle, after moving, and maybe transitioning through drawing or writing,
movers may choose to share their experience within the circle, and receive witnessing from
the others if it is offered. The witnessing may take more time than the moving, as a small
pool of movement may be the ground for a rich and wide variety of experiences for both
movers and witnesses. Another form of the discipline is to work within dyads, where one
mover and one witness work together. Dyads may work within a larger circle of movers or
not. Different themes, emphases or foci may be used within Authentic Movement. A group
may agree rules around the use of sound, to move in silence, or to be free to vocalise, stamp
or scream. Various rituals form part of the discipline– movers and witness speak of their
experiences in the present tense ‘I am moving...I see a mover…’ As well as a bell to signal
the end of the moving time, witness and mover make eye contact before the mover closes
their eyes to begin, and as they end their movement pool. Within the long circle form, this
means that as a mover returns to her place, her eyes are met by those who were holding the
witness circle.
Authentic Movement is a discipline, and not psychotherapy, although it can affect therapeutic
changes. It may be used within a therapeutic practice, but it is recommended that it is only
done so by practitioners with a therapeutic training. Some practice Authentic Movement as a
30
tool towards mindful living, as a contemplative tool to aid spiritual growth, or as a creative
resource. The form was taught to me as part of the IBMT training in order to learn the skills
of therapeutic presence, an embracing attitude in which speech is clear, and an accepting, nonjudgemental acceptance of others.
2.7 SUMMARY
Yoga has been described as a form of physiological and psychic hygiene that was snapped up
in the West due to the disenchantment with religion (Phillips, 2001). My first movement
training was in yoga, and throughout my time training and practising as a somatic movement
therapist I have seen a similarity and resonance between that, IBMT and Authentic
Movement. Many Western somatic approaches were connected to, or influenced by the
practice of yoga or martial arts. Cultural differences have led to the diverse systems of
thought in the East and the West, and the holistic and analytical approaches to movement and
the body can be explained in part by these (Bailey, 2001).
This chapter has given an overview of the variety of research that has been conducted on
yoga, embodiment and mindfulness, and an outline of the history and principles of yoga and
the Western somatic movement practices (IBMT and Authentic Movement) that have been
used within this study. Yoga, IBMT and Authentic Movement can all be considered somatic
movement practices, and although all may be used either therapeutically or educationally, in
this study I was concerned with somatic movement education (SME) and not therapy.
However, even used educationally, SME may have therapeutic benefits (Fogel, 2009).
The language used in and around yoga and SME could be seen to be a barrier to participation,
and as such, in this study, the philosophical and historic aspects of these approaches were not
part of the content. I did not want to alienate the participants, nor confuse them with words
31
that they could perceive to be jargonistic. The vocabulary used to describe yoga poses for
example, was the Western translations of Sanskrit words for example ‘Warrior pose’ rather
than Vibrabhadrasana.
The purpose of including the background and philosophy of these approaches is that they give
insight into my personal knowledge of the subject matter. According to Phillips, such
personal knowledge should be “explicitly utilize[d]” (Phillips, 1971, p. 159), as total
involvement allows a greater understanding of a given situation or experience. By taking an
involved position, I also need to be explicit, “self-conscious and open” (ibid, p. 173) about
how my personal knowledge and involvement affects my assumptions and research activities.
The following chapter discusses the methodology of the study, my methodological approach,
and the material content of the sessions.
32
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
Methodological approaches can be classified according to the data they collect (quantitative
or qualitative), the means by which the data is collected (for example actively or passively,
directly or indirectly), and the analyses that are applied to them (Gorard & Taylor, 2004). The
validity of a piece of research does not rest with the methodological approach, but the validity
and appropriateness of the methods used to measure a particular outcome (Phillips, 1971).
This chapter sets out my research questions, methods and data analysis, as well as describing
the setting in which the data were gathered, the organisation of the phases of the study and an
overview of the material covered in the sessions with the children.
3.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND METHODS
The methodology has been designed to answer my research questions as set out in Table 1.
1. Do children experience themselves as embodied beings?
2. If so, how do they express, create and perceive their embodied self?
3. Does an experience of somatic movement within a school day affect ability to reflect
and process in an embodied way?
33
Research
Research Method
Sourced Data
Notes
Phenomenological
Images of and by the children,
A mosaic approach was adapted to capture the voices of the
approach to find out
artwork, models, field and
children and record their experiences.
children’s own
session notes. Observations
perceptions.
and reflexive journal used to
Question
1
triangulate data.
2
Analysing the data from
Images of and by the children,
The ages of the children ranged from four to eleven years. The
the children with respect to artwork, models, field and
children were taught in mixed groups, however gender may be
the age groups of the
session notes. Observations
a factor in children’s perceptions of embodiment. I separated
children, their gender and
and reflexive journal used to
the data gathered and analysed them in discrete groupings by
other factors
triangulate data.
chronological age or year groups, and gender. The sessions
were delivered within an educational setting as part of the
school day. These and other factors may have effected
children’s perceptions of themselves as embodied beings.
34
Research
Research Method
Sourced Data
Notes
Interviewing children, the
Verbatim transcriptions of the
The reflective process was encouraged throughout the sessions
making of displays of the
interviews with participants,
through drawing, talking about experiences, journaling and
work, analysing the data
display posters, images of and
sharing. The children were given the opportunity to talk
from the children with
by the children, artwork,
through their experiences and reflect on their work and the
respect to the age groups
models, field and session notes. process as a whole in interviews. Groups were also given the
of the children, their
Observations and reflexive
gender and other factors
journal used to triangulate data. that were presented to the school and open to be seen by staff
Question
3
opportunity to reflect and share their work through displays
and family.
Table 1 Table to show research questions, methods and data sources
35
The data were collected throughout the duration of the project. There was a close connection
between the data collection and the data analysis. Data were from a mixture of journal
entries, field notes, session notes, drawings, models and images from the children and
interview transcripts. This multi-modal analysis is “especially suited to the investigation of
affective phenomena” (Cromby, 2011, p. 90), as feelings and experiences are not always
available in words.
The data collection and analysis interacted at each stage of the project (see Figure 1). In
addition to my analysis, the older children, and those selected as case studies, were given the
opportunity to review all the work they had completed over the sessions, to comment,
elaborate, change and explore their thoughts.
I felt that it was important to find a methodological approach that fitted as much as possible
with the focus of the study. Phenomenological and participatory methods seemed to resonate
most with somatic movement, developmental play, yoga and a Person-Centred approach
towards education and therapeutic work. Although the fit was not exact, and tensions were
evident between my roles as practitioner and researcher at times, these all became part of the
reflexive process that was detailed within my reflective journal and was discussed during
supervision.
36
Sessions
Reflexive journal,
supervision, reflective
interviews, feeding back to
session content
Plans, field notes,
observations, images,
drawings, models, markmaking, posters, feeding
back to session content
Reflection
Analysis
Phenomenological analysis
of images and texts,
feeding back to session
content
FIGURE 1 INTERCONNECTED PROCESS OF SESSIONS, REFLECTION AND
ANALYSIS
3.2 PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACHES
For my research I have chosen to take a phenomenological approach, and use qualitative and
participatory research methods in order to explore how the participants make sense of their
personal experiences of their world (Smith, 2008). The data were collected and analysed
from a phenomenological perspective (Leder, 1990; Merleau-Ponty, 2002). Phenomenology
is that form of enquiry concerned with the nature of human experience, and is a rigorous
qualitative approach used to study everyday human activities and experiences (Pollio et al,
1997). Due to its rejection of mind-body dualism and the importance of the ‘lived body’,
“phenomenology has particular relevance to the study of movement” (Bain, 1995, p. 241) as
37
experience, and the description of experience are its “fundamental concern” (SheetsJohnstone, 2010, p. 111). In fact, yoga has been interpreted as a philosophy and
phenomenology of the ‘inner’ body (Sarukkai, 2002). A phenomenological approach uses the
reflection of experience to give meaning, and a systematic reflection extends the shared
understanding of meaningful experience. In this, and the data collection, the study bears some
resemblance to a sensory ethnographic study, which is described by Pink (2009) as “a
reflexive and experiential process through which understanding, knowing and (academic)
knowledge are produced” (ibid, p. 8).
An important element of phenomenological data collection is to create an environment in
which the research participant feels comfortable enough to respond honestly and
comprehensively (Moustakas, 1994). Although the long interview is a typical method (ibid.),
my research is more experiential and with young children, and I did not think that it would be
the most appropriate method. Asking what it is to express, create and reflect with and on our
bodies could be taken as an existential question if out of context. However, through
movement work it is possible to show to a witness (as in Authentic Movement) or to write
about a moment of experience. In fact, Bain (1995) cites phenomenology as the field out of
which somatics arose, although somatic practices such as yoga were in evidence long before
Hanna coined the term to describe the field (Hanna, 1988).
Movement exploration and education, such as yoga, is concerned with the experience of the
self (Iyengar, 1966), as is phenomenology. In a description of Husserl’s approach, Zuesse
writes that his analysis “has a fascinating resemblance to the psychology of Hindu and
Buddhist yoga” (1985, p. 56), and states that according to Merleau-Ponty “the body and its
38
movements…are the foundations for all reflective thought” (ibid p. 64). The
phenomenologist and philosopher Heidegger’s work is also thought to have been influenced
by East Asian texts and ideas (May, 1989). A key aspect to yoga is that it is the inner
experience of moving that is the focus, rather than the external performance. It seems to be
more congruent to use this approach rather than to measure external factors that may be
associated with stretching or cardio-vascular exercise. If, for example, individuals perceive
that their ability to stretch has changed, then they can express this verbally, or through
journaling or mark-making, and it will be part of the data collection process. Similarly,
information concerning the participants’ perceptions of their well-being, capacity to learn,
body awareness and kinaesthetic awareness could be measured (Anderson, 2006). However,
the material in each session was delivered to the children with their needs as students as the
focus, and not with the intention to ‘gain’ results or reach a specific outcome. The focus was
phenomenological, that is, on their own experience of movement. However,
phenomenological understanding of self-movement remains ‘incomplete’ (Sheets-Johnstone,
2010, p. 113). Whilst particularly true for the “actual experience of one’s own movement”
(ibid) this may be because the phenomenon of self-movement is under-examined.
The intention to gain “more fully the essences and meanings of human experience”
(Moustakas, 1994, p. 105), in this case the nature of embodiment, is one of the characteristics
of a human science research question. The other characteristics mentioned include; a desire to
uncover qualitative elements of behaviour and experience, no seeking to predict or determine
causal factors, an illumination through description and a process that engages the total self of
the research participant sustaining passionate and personal involvement.
39
Emotions and our experience of emotions, are areas that are well suited to phenomenological
explorations, as “to be in an emotion state is to be in a particular phenomenological state,
because emotion states are personal-level attitudes that themselves are essentially something it
is like to be in or to have” (Lambie & Marcel, 2002, p. 220). An emotion such as anger which
can be perceived negatively, and the expressing of it, is a natural part of the therapeutic
element of the work. Not all feelings and movements are ‘nice’, although this might be
expected or even preferred within an educational or therapeutic context (Ecclestone & Hayes,
2009). Whilst discussing the idea of teaching self-control through somatics and dance
education, Stinson (2004) reflected on the edge of empowering children to make choices and
manipulating them subtly to choose only within carefully presented options. In this scenario,
while children are free to express their emotions, there can be a denial of any but the happiest
emotions. An important element of the Person-Centred approach is that all feelings are
allowed, and there is no expectation of what should be felt (Kirschenbaum & Henderson,
1990). In fact, in a group session exploring emotions “many negative emotions were asked
for by the children– although we ended with a happy” (Field notes).
Educational interventions are often evaluated through an analysis of the outcomes of an
experimental or intervention study, as in medical research (Hutchinson, 1991). This study is
not a ‘measures’ based thesis, but a phenomenological exploration. Phenomenology can be
seen to be interventionist, if an intervention is understood as implying an “intentional action
to bring about an immediate and effective form of beneficial change” (Edwards, 2001, p. 3).
Phenomenology may be seen “as psychotherapeutic in its potential to bring about a whole
new lived world” (ibid), and of course, any research event “essentially constitutes a form of
intervention” (ibid). This study, however, has more in common with a case study approach,
40
which has been shown to be more suitable for in-depth, holistic research (Feagin et al, 1991).
Case study methodology is used to assess complicated phenomena within their contexts
(Baxter & Jack, 2008).
My study was not at any point intended to be an intervention study; I was not attempting to
solve a problem, but to explore the human experience of embodiment and its expression. An
intervention study may well have indicated a mixed methods approach (Gorard & Taylor,
2004). In this case I would have defined measurable desired outcomes and tested them preand post-intervention. However, my view of somatic education, and yoga, is that it is not the
external appearance of progress that could be measured in terms of muscle strength, flexibility
or endurance that is important, but the experience of oneself as a living, moving being.
In a phenomenological study, it is also important that a researcher is reflexive (Pollio et al,
1997). My reflexive practice includes my awareness of my body. This bodily awareness has
been cultivated through my bodywork training and Authentic Movement practice (Adler,
2002). I am conscious of my breathing rate, my heart rate, my feelings, emotions and images
associated with the moment. I am also aware of the stream of consciousness, and how my
gaze and focus are directed around the room. I am open to the physical signs I see from those
around me, whilst not projecting my own interpretations onto them. This level of awareness
from my embodied self allows me to access and recall detailed information that would be
recorded in field notes. When I am in therapeutic practice or researching, I then reflect again
on my experiences as part of my reflexive practice, write a reflective journal, and take any
questions that I have into professional supervision.
41
Movement is described by the philosopher Sheets-Johnstone as “the change itself, the
dynamic happening, and needs to be phenomenologically analysed and properly understood
as such” (2010, p. 121). Similarly, Scaravelli and Stewart, two yoga and movement teachers,
are attributed with saying “it is not so much the performance of the exercises that matters, but
rather the way of doing them” (Phillips, 2001, p. 45). This approach, which is a soft and fluid
one to practice, ties in well with my approach to somatic education. A similar view was taken
by Gindler, who described the purpose of her work, Gymnastik, as “not the learning of
movements, but rather the achievement of concentration” (1995, p. 5). I did not feel that it
was appropriate to collect quantitative data, but instead wanted to elicit comprehensive and
honest responses on the experience of embodiment (whether in movement, written or spoken
form), and this led me towards a participatory research approach.
3.3 PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH WITHIN THIS STUDY
A version of Clark and Moss’ (2001; 2005) Mosaic Approach was employed to gather a body
of mostly phenomenological data in the form of:

observations from the sessions;

my reflective journal;

artwork from the children;

photographs of and by the children;

posters designed by the children;

children’s reflective writing; and

follow-up interviews.
42
The Mosaic Approach is the name given to a type of participatory work where a mosaic of
evidence is gathered to support or falsify a hypothesis, or to record and analyse the voices of
the participants. Young children are seen as “experts in their own lives” (Clark & Moss,
2005, p. 5). This approach is not only a way of listening that acknowledges children and
adults as co-constructors of meaning. It combines a multi-method approach, it is
participatory, reflexive, adaptable, and focused on children’s lived experiences (Clark &
Moss, 2001). The Mosaic Approach is an “integrated approach which combines the visual
with the verbal” (Clark & Moss, 2001, p. 1). When working with young children it is not
always possible or desirable to use text based research methods (Thomson, 2008). A variety
of methodological approaches that employ the use of cameras, maps, interviews, models,
mark–making and discussion among others can be used. This means that a proportion of the
data gathered is visual in nature, and can be analysed with reference to visual research
methodologies (Rose, 2007). In practice this involved a range of research methods and a
combination of approaches, and is similar to that taken in some ethnographic studies that
include “participant observation, interviewing and other participatory approaches” (Pink,
2009, p. 10).
The data were all exploring the children’s understanding and expression of the material. The
use of different tasks and activities “allowed the young people time to think about what they
would like to express” (Punch, 2002, p. 54). For example a particular concept of an organ or
physiological system may involve the children being asked to find a pose with their bodies
that can be photographed, to take photographs that represent what it means to them, to draw
pictures, to model with ‘play-doh’, and to find words that express their understanding in
43
addition to moving their bodies in the sessions. This type of work has ethical issues that are
discussed in section 3.6.
Observations
Reflective
Journal
Interviews
Data
Children's
Reflective
Writing
Photographs
•Of the Children
•By the Children
Artwork from
the sessions
Posters and
Art for
Display by
the Children
•Drawings /
Mark-Making
•Model Making
FIGURE 2 SOURCES OF DATA
The data have been analysed to form a picture or mosaic of evidence (Greig & Taylor, 1999)
of children’s perceptions of embodiment. The research involves not only the young children
from age 4-11, but also their teaching and support staff and myself as the
practitioner/researcher. The intention of researching in this way is to capture the voices of the
44
children through a variety of practical methods that play to their strengths as co-researchers,
as language is only one medium or route to understanding a child’s experience (Irwin &
Johnson, 2006). My reflexive process and experiences form part of the study, as “the
researcher learns and knows through her or his whole experiencing body” (Pink, 2009, p. 25),
which is perhaps particularly pertinent given the subject matter.
In addition, I undertook two case studies. These illustrate in a phenomenologically
descriptive way a single phenomena within a general context (Kyburz-Graber, 2004). In this
case, working with two individual children within the context of a class.
Many of the data in my study were visual as well as verbal in nature. The children were given
opportunity to take images and record their own pictures, models and poses. The teachers and
teaching assistants were invited to record images from the sessions. The data collection was
designed to allow space for the ‘expressional style’ of the children as much as possible, in
order to yield “more complete and more naturalistic expressions of children’s experiences
(Irwin & Johnson, 2006, p. 826). These images, the models and the writings of the children
as well as observations and reflexive journal form the basis of my data collection. Within a
discussion of photographs within the social sciences, Prosser (1998) talks about the issues of
ownership and empowerment with relation to the subjects of the study and the researcher. By
giving the participants cameras in order to take their own photographs they can also take
ownership of the images that are produced, and give assent to which best represent what they
were trying to say. The issue of the researcher as an ‘outsider’ is also less evident in coconstructed research. Here, the participants and the researcher can take on the roles of
‘photographer’, ‘artist’, ‘documenter’ and ‘researcher’ as appropriate. The analysis of the
45
visual matter may also differ depending on the research approach. For example it may not be
appropriate to use an analytic approach like compositional analysis when the research
question is concerned with meaning-making of the photographer.
Children’s drawings have a value in research, as well as in process therapy and therapeutic
interventions (Driessnack, 2005). By giving them a chance to draw, or to take pictures, they
are able to pay attention to sensory and internal cues: “when children are interviewed, the
brevity of their verbal responses may actually relate more to their ability to retrieve
information than to their knowledge or understanding” (Driessnack, 2005, p. 420). Drawing
can help children relax, be fun and establish rapport (Fargas-Malet, McSherry, Larkin, &
Robinson, 2010), as well as provide a means through which they can reflect on their
experiences. Listening to children talk about their drawings can also provide insight into their
understanding (Clark, 2005).
It is important with visual data (as any data) that an appropriate methodology is chosen to
analyse as well as collect the data (Rose, 2007). With images of people, particularly of
children, and taken by children it is also necessary to consider the ethical implications of the
research (see section 3.6).
Follow-up interviews were conducted at two stages of the study. The end of the academic
year coincided with the end of phase 2. The six children who were in Year 6 and due to leave
the school were interviewed. Their work from all the sessions was collated into individual
folders, and they were given opportunity to reflect on this, and their experiences. At the end
of phase 3, several children from throughout the school were interviewed. These children
46
were chosen because they had responded well to the material, or because they had expressed
themselves within the sessions as understanding it or ‘not getting it’. Although all children
participated in the sessions, I did not select children who had not produced much work they
could reflect on. The children looked through folders of their work and reflected on it and on
their experiences. The interviews were semi-structured, and phenomenological in that the
children were asked to expand on their answers, to explain why they gave the answers they
did. The questions asked included:

“What do you remember most? Why?”

“Do you remember I used to ask you to think about and talk about and write about and
draw about what it felt to do all the stuff you did? What was that like?”

“Is there anything you wish we’d done more of?”
After the selected children had been interviewed, each class was asked whether anyone else
wanted to speak to me about the work and the sessions. The interviews lasted between 10 and
40 minutes. The interviews were individual, and digitally recorded so they could be
transcribed. In total 24 children were interviewed.
3.4 DATA ANALYSIS
The data were analysed using phenomenological data analysis (Pollio et al, 1997). A
phenomenological approach to data analysis is congruent with the somatic movement
education approach that the self is an “ongoing project to be unfurled” (Smith et al, 2009, p.
19). Phenomenology connects with everyday experiences when we listen, pay attention to
and reflect on our perceptions (ibid). This study was concerned with my experiences as
researcher and practitioner in addition to those of the participants. The data involved a
47
“considerable amount of reflecting, thinking and feeling” (ibid, p. 3), and as such
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) could have been utilised to examine them.
IPA has roots in phenomenology and hermeneutics and is “concerned with the detailed
examination of personal lived experience, the meaning of experience to participants and how
participants make sense of their experience” (Smith, 2011, p. 9). Smith (2011) describes IPA
as a double hermeneutic, as the researcher is trying to make sense of the participant trying to
make sense of their experiences. IPA is a methodology that urges researchers “to listen and
understand…collaboratively with researcher and participant. It urges us to trust” (Todorova,
2011, p. 37). IPA, like other qualitative research, values individual subjectives and voices
that may otherwise be ignored or silenced (ibid.). IPA would have been an appropriate
method of analysis had I been concerned with the question ‘how do the participants make
sense of being embodied?’ Similarly, had I been investigating the factors that influenced a
child’s sense of embodiment a grounded theory approach would have been indicated; a focus
on how children talk about embodiment would suggest a discursive analysis and a study of
how embodiment is constructed may have implied a Foucauldian discourse analysis of texts.
My focus was on the experience of embodiment and utilised narrative, images, mark-makings,
drawings and field notes in addition to interview transcriptions.
The data were collected with sensitivity to the context of the participants. I formed positive
relationships with the children as participants. This sensitivity continued into the data
analysis, as I immersed myself in the data, committing myself to understanding and
interpreting the participants’ experiences. The interpretative process is transparent in the
narrative write-up of findings that follows. A narrative approach to data analysis also had the
“power to reveal the embodied experience” (Stephens, 2011, p. 62), as it may be used to
48
understand experiences from a phenomenological perspective. Narrative analysis does not
limit the researcher to using textual data, as “stories may be related using media such as
words, imagery, sound, movement or combinations of these” (ibid p. 73).
The information was analysed with the help of qualitative software tools such as NVivo. The
analysis occurred through several steps (Holloway, 1997). First, the material was organised
and ordered. This included transcribing notes of interviews or sessions. Also, at this stage
the data were collected into discrete groupings with respect to age and gender of the children.
Next, the data were read and re-read or viewed as appropriate, until I, as the researcher, was
fully immersed in them. The material was then broken down into manageable sections, with
meaningful phrases identified, coded and highlighted. Categories were built, compared and
contrasted with each other and with my own thoughts. Consistent patterns of meanings were
sought. Relationships and groups between the categories were looked for, as well as patterns,
themes and typologies. Themes and sub-themes were identified, an approach used to analyse
phenomenological interviews to gain information on the nature of human experience (Pollio
et al, 1997). The concepts and themes were continuously adapted and new questions
formulated as the incoming data changed or modified my findings. In practice, the analysis of
data was an on-going process throughout the study. My own embodied experiences were
connected to the data analysis, both in terms of the data analysed as my reflexive journal was
included, but also because “embodied and sensory memories of fieldwork likewise informed
my own analysis” (Pink, 2009,p. 123).
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3.5 WORKING WITH CHILDREN
Working with children brings with it the need for further consideration. There has been a
move away from research that is on children rather than with them (Fargas-Malet et al, 2010).
Whereas children were once considered as objects, they are now more likely to have their
views and opinions sought out, although this brings with it methodological and ethical
challenges (Einarsdottir, 2007; Mauthner, 1997). Research studies have demonstrated that
children as young as 4 years old (or even younger) can provide important insights into their
lives and experiences (Irwin & Johnson, 2006). Researchers must be careful that they do not
make assumptions about a child’s capabilities, and to be clear about the internal images and
assumptions they make about childhood that inform their approach, methods and data
analysis. Three different approaches towards research were reported by Fargas-Malet et al
(2010, p. 176):
“One which considers children as practically the same as adults and employs the same
methods as those used with them
One which perceives children as completely different from adults and uses
ethnography (participant observation) to examine the child’s world; and
One which understands children as similar to adults but with different competencies,
and which has developed a plethora of innovative and adapted techniques."
Typical research methods with children would include; observations (including the Tavistock
model of observation and target child observation), correlation methods, experimental and
survey methods, case studies, ethnographies and developmental tasks/tests. Participatory
methods tend to orientate themselves to the strengths of the children, and draw out their voice
and experience through methods that are designed to capture their individual views. The idea
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of capturing the voices of children and its importance in research and policy making was
present in the 1989 Children Act. This set up a legal requirement to consult on the wishes and
feelings of children when their physical, emotional and educational needs are assessed. This
had a direct impact on the decision and policy makers who are responsible for dealing with
children, and the ways in which researchers and practitioners used research tools and
techniques with children. This moves away from the idea that children are, “‘becomings’,
that is, people not yet mature enough to have an opinion or act responsibly [as opposed to]
competent ‘beings’ whose views, actions and choice are of value”(Thomson, 2008, p. 1).
This view of children has obvious implications for the analytic, interpretative or meaningmaking phases of a research project.
Young children, as defined by Clark (2005) are those under the age of five. In this study
some of the participants would be under five, and would fall into this definition. However,
the idea that active listening to a child enables them to express their views is relevant to
children of all ages. Listening is understood by Clark to be an active process of
communication that involves hearing, interpreting and constructing meanings, not limited to
the spoken word, and necessary for participation. Rather than being about the extraction of
information from children, it is a dynamic process that involves them and adults discussing
meanings, whilst avoiding giving the children cues or assistance (Irwin & Johnson, 2006).
Listening means not trying to guess what the children are saying (Mauthner, 1997). It also
includes all the different verbal and non-verbal ways in which children communicate, which
for this work would necessarily include the medium of movement. Methodologies for
listening to the views of young children need to be supported by the environment where
possible, which may include being in somewhere familiar with trusted adults. Activities
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should be fun, enjoyable and varied as well as recognising that different children express
themselves in different ways. The purpose of the research and the extent that the children can
contribute should also be made clear (Clark, 2005).
Very young children may have limited communicative abilities relative to older children,
however this does not mean that they are not competent in other ways. A mosaic approach of
research tools seeks to draw out these competences. It is important to consider the cognitive
abilities of the children, the validity of the statements they make, and also the researcher’s
interpretations of those statements. This last issue is a strength of the mosaic approach and
participatory research. It is possible to gather data co-constructively with participants and
allow time for the participant to reflect upon it, and discuss it as well as any meaning the
researcher may have interpreted. The developmental capacity of the child may affect their
ability to understand the questions being asked. Children may be vulnerable to suggestibility
and be influenced by the status of the researcher. This may be particularly evident if the
research takes place in a school setting and the children perceive the researcher to have the
role of or equivalent to a teacher (Greig & Taylor, 1999). Ideally, prior to the start of an
interview, or work with young children, one would develop rapport, by taking time to get to
know the children, and gain their trust so as to allow a fuller disclosure of information (Irwin
& Johnson, 2006). This approach has been developed as an alternative to traditional methods
of research with children as the subjects of research. In the case of this study, it should be
noted that my presence, as an adult responsible for teaching groups, and in some cases taking
classes as a cover teacher, could be interpreted as that of one of authority and as such may
have affected the children’s perception of me (Pearce & Bailey, 2011). The children may
have felt pressure to “say what they think adults want them to say” (Fargas-Malet et al, 2010),
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although throughout every session I did my best to ensure that all the children were reassured
that there were no right or wrong answers, that I was interested in their experiences. In fact,
by allowing the children to explore ‘tangents’, it was possible to come to closer to hearing
their authentic voices (Irwin & Johnson, 2006). I was also present in the children’s
environment as a parent, and a regular presence in the classrooms, and so could be seen to
have ‘trusted adult’ status. This allowed the children to explore the work and express
themselves freely, maybe more so than they would with an ‘unknown adult’ (Irwin &
Johnson, 2006). I needed to allow the students to trust me enough to say what they felt and
thought, and not what they thought was the ‘right’ answer or what I wanted to hear. This
issue of ‘getting it right’ was spoken of by one child when she came to talk about her
experiences.
“E:
I felt excited and nervous and I thought that I could get it right or I could get it
wrong.
Me:
Do you think there was a right or a wrong answer?
E:
I thought the two answers were the same.
Me:
Okay. Do you think in the work we did there were rights and there were
wrongs?
E:
Yes.” (E Year 2)
After further questioning, and mostly with reference to drawing, which was what she had
remembered doing most, E said “I thought it was right when I had to draw my face...I thought
it was going to be wrong when I didn't draw my body right”. However, E. was the only child
that mentioned that she thought that there was a need to be right, to do things right. In
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contrast, many children spoke of the freedom that they had to choose, say, or draw what they
did when they were interviewed.
“It’s pretty fun because you do whatever you want, no-one can tell you what to do and
that, you can do whatever you want to do, really.” (C. Year 4)
“Me: What do you wish we'd done more of?
R:
Probably the free one where you can do anything.
Me:
What, when we were in a circle and you got to show everybody what you did?
Why did you like that best?
R:
Because you could just do anything and do stuff.” (R. Year 4)
“No wrong answers whatever you said was true in its own way.” (W. Year 6)
It seemed that the majority of the children were assured that their experiences were valid, and
accepted. These feelings may have been strongest when participating in the circle game,
where the ‘rules’ were made explicit each time we played. In the game, all of the children
could do what they wanted, whether it was showing a movement they had made up
themselves, something we had all explored in the session, or something another child had
already done.
The research methodology was in keeping with the phenomenological tradition that “has
taken a step on the path towards an ontology which combines the mind and the body”
(Alerby, 2003, p. 18). It was at all times designed not only to be enjoyable, but to ensure that
the children were recognised as “the real experts of their lives...in this context the child is the
54
authority, and can choose to reveal whatever s/he wishes. There are no right or wrong
answers” (Pearce & Bailey, 2010). The emphases on the children’s own perceptions being
valuable, and there being no correct answers was present throughout the study (Punch, 2002).
The sessions themselves combined playful movement explorations, with time to share, draw
and write. The interviews took place at the end of the study, when the children were all
familiar and comfortable with my presence, and were thus less likely to say things only
because I wanted to hear them (Punch, 2002). Drawing and mark-making was used as an
“avenue for young children to express their views and experiences” (Clark, 2005). Markmaking and drawing can be a creative and fun method to encourage children to be actively
involved in research, and to discover what they believe to be important aspects (Punch, 2002).
In order to minimise issues of conflict over materials (ibid), I ensured that all the children had
access to oil pastels and high-quality paper to draw on, as well as pencils to write with if they
chose. The quality of the materials was important, as it differentiated the work from that of
‘ordinary’ class paper and felt pens (ibid.).
3.6 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Participatory research has inherent ethical issues. Firstly there is the issue of consent and
assent to participation. Gaining consent on behalf of and assent from children has its own
ethical considerations (Jago & Bailey, 2001). According to English law, consent must be
obtained from the parents or guardians of the children, not the children themselves (ibid.).
Because the research project took place within the school day, it was also prudent to seek
consent from the governors, Headteacher and the class teacher: “it is widely recognised that in
order to gain children’s consent and involvement in research, one has to go via adult
gatekeepers” (Punch, 2002, p. 325). Consent has to be informed. In practice this means
55
detailing the subject and nature of the research. For a project like mine this has to be
accessible for the intended audience. I prepared separate consent forms for the parents of the
children and the adult teaching staff who would participate. As a researcher it was imperative
that I worked within the ethical guidelines laid out for research by the University of
Birmingham. Because of the nature of my work, it also fell under the guidance of two of my
professional organisations, the British Wheel of Yoga and the International Somatic
Movement Educators and Therapists Association, and I also had to work within the ethical
guidelines that they set.
Consent to use images and artworks must be given by the legal guardians of the children. In
addition to legal consent, it is ethical to ask the children themselves to assent to participation.
They must have opportunity to assent to take part and for their work to be used as part of my
research. Their right to withdraw from the project at any time must also be made clear to
them. Participatory research of this kind has its own particular ethical issues as young
children are used to doing what they are told by adults, particularly in an education context
(Punch, 2002). There is an implicit compulsion that the children and their parents will assent
to participation as the sessions are taking place within a school day. They, and myself, have
been approved by the Headteacher and the governors and I have the trust of the class teachers.
As well as gaining consent from parents, I also asked the children to assent to take part,
explaining how this work would be a bit different to that of the previous year. “I introduced
the project and explained that it would be a bit different to before as I was trying to find out
what children thought. I asked them if they wanted to do it and they all said yes” (Field Notes
phase 1). Due to phase 3 taking place in the following academic year, and new children
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joining class 4, further explanations and consent forms were sent out. As the children were
older, and were interested in what I would do with the data, I explained more about the
process. Although the school assured me that photographs taken of and by the children would
be covered by general consent given by parents, I decided to ask for additional permission
from them, and until the slips were in, no photographs were taken. The following extract
from my field notes sets out how I explained the study, and asked for assent.
“I started by sitting in a circle with the children and explaining a bit about the work. I
said that the research was finding out about what children thought, felt about moving
and what it was like to be them. I told them that lots of adults tell them lots of things
about what they should do, but that not many asked them what it was like to be them.
I said that the permission slips would be going home in the newsletter and would ask
for permission to take photos, that we could use cameras to take pictures (of
themselves, and each other) and that those and their writing and artwork would be
used for my research. I asked them if that was all right and they all assented to take
part. Two children asked if it would get published in a newspaper, and I said that it
might get published in special education magazines, called journals but none of their
real names would be used. They seemed disappointed at that!” (Field Notes phase 3)
The active and hands-on nature of the work means that I have to adhere to the Child
Protection Policy of the school. The importance of touch and its impact on the psycho-social
wellbeing of children with special educational needs and their parents and caregivers has been
studied by Cullen-Powell and Barlow (Cullen & Barlow, 2003; Barlow et al, 2006). They
found that touch, whether from an educator or tutor on a Positive Touch programme, or the
giving or receiving or simple massage techniques from parents or carers, was beneficial to all
57
parties in the vast majority of cases. A reduction in the amount of positive touch that a child
receives in his early years, may decrease the sense of body awareness that a child experiences
(Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993). This body awareness, can also be affected by processing and
developmental disorders. Donna Williams, an adult with autism, described her sense of body:
“I failed to identify with it properly as ‘self’” (Williams, 2003, p. 23). Williams is describing
a disembodied sense of self, in part due to her hypersensitive sensory awareness.
Touch “does provoke anxiety” (Westland, 2011, p. 20). The use of touch with children, has
become problematic in some instances as “professionals have become wary about touching
children in their care– from putting an arm on a child’s shoulder, to putting a plaster on their
knee” (Piper, 2007, p. 4). Many in society are ambivalent about touch, and are afraid of the
intimacy of it, “the roots of this lie in how we were treated and how we continue to treat
children” (ibid p. 21). Those working with children and young people are often advised to
avoid touching them at all not because of restrictive laws, but due to cultural pressures that
have “created a negative and self-sustaining no-touching culture” (ibid p. 10). And yet, touch
is a central component of human interaction (Pink, 2009). Many child-care professionals see
touch as “essential for proper child development” (Piper, 2003, p. 880), and attempts to
comply with a ‘no-touch’ policy even in early years settings has “resulted in a mind-body
split” (ibid. p.881). Instead of being natural, and spontaneous, touching children has become
sanitised, organised and therapeutic (ibid). Massage and other touch therapies have become
an acceptable way for children to receive touch. Approaches that utilise touch in a positive
sense, have been shown to increase quality of life indicators for adults (Gregory & Verdouw,
2005), as well as with children with additional needs (Cullen-Powell & Barlow, 1995), and
autism spectrum disorder (Cullen et al, 2005). I decided that use of touch would be beneficial
58
within this study. In addition to my touching children if needed to draw their attention to a
particular part of their body (e.g. their toes, or their back), on many occasions children would
want to run up to me, sit on my lap and hug me. If touch had not been allowed in this context,
the children could have experienced physical rejection, which would have been contrary to
the ethos of the work. The groups of children were always accompanied by at least one
member of staff in addition to myself as the practitioner, and if a child showed any signs of
discomfort, or unease at being touched, then that would be taken as an indicator of them
refusing consent, or withdrawing assent to receive hands-on work.
The type of movement work that was explored in the sessions, although educational in this
particular context, can also be used therapeutically. To this end, all sessions adhered to
Rogerian Person-Centred principles (Kirschenbaum & Henderson, 1990). In practice this
means that every child is held in unconditional positive regard. This is also in accord with a
mindful practice, where a non-judgemental attitude is adopted (or embodied), which “involves
perceiving stimuli simply ‘as they are’” (Brown & Ryan, 2003, p. 824). In order to hear the
voices of the children participating, it was vital that they were not directed to have ‘right’ or
‘wrong’ answers. During the sessions together we established rules of behaviour including
that their experience, insights and shapes were valid and viewed positively. Due to time
limitations of the project, I felt it was important that this stage of building a relationship with
the school happened before the start of the data collection. The experience of most of the
participants is thus their developing awareness of the work rather than their initial
perceptions. Some children did encounter the work for the first time, albeit in an environment
where the approach had been established. This included all children entering Reception (age
4–5), and any children joining the school.
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3.7 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
The study was separated into three phases of work. These were differentiated by themes, and
at times by the participants. My initial timetable was for contact sessions over one academic
year, however the study actually took place over two academic years. Due to external factors
(such as building work at the school and changing commitments), the different classes of
children did not each attend the same number of sessions, nor cover identical content
throughout. I had originally written the outline for the content of the entire project as below:
Finding Shapes – This section will be based on exploring the shapes that our bodies
can make; geometric shapes, twists, bends, balances, and animal shapes. The children
will be working in pairs and small groups as well as individually. Using yoga poses
and familiarising the children with sensations of stretch, exploring how our posture
affects us and practicing finding still and quiet-time will be the initial aims. We will
use a selection of art-materials for drawing and mark-making, and I shall record
images of the children in poses, and allow them to use cameras to take images of the
shapes that we find. There will be an emphasis on the children’s exploration of
shapes. There will not be “right” or “wrong” ways of doing anything. The poses and
shapes the children find will be as valid as any “yoga” asanas. Behaviour and classmanagement will be established in this section. It is vital that the children are free to
explore the material safely without injuring themselves or others in the class.
Organisation – This section will be an exploration of the organs of our body. Many
exercises and movement forms focus primarily on the musculo-skeletal structure of
the body. We shall explore what the children understand about their own internal
60
anatomy; the words and phrases that we use that contain organ words (for example,
vent your spleen, feeling liverish, heartache, nervy, under my skin, in my bones, gut
feeling). We’ll use some of the shapes and inspiration from the first section to lead
into explorations of our organs and emotions and expression. For example, we might
stretch and be aware of our skin stretching. Much anatomy is learnt from pictures and
this section of work will allow the children to build an idea of how their body is made
up from the inside. Resources such as balloons filled with warm water to show the
size of the brain, digital cameras, ‘play-doh’, and art materials will be used. An
emphasis will be placed on our living moving bodies.
Moving On - This section will build on the material covered so far and translate it into
the moving body. Using developmental movement patterns such as crawling,
creeping, rolling and bear walking we can explore how the shapes we have been
working with move and travel through space. We will explore how different organs
initiate different movement patterns. The psychological and developmental
psychology that underlies such developmental patterns may also be explored if
appropriate. With the youngest children it may take the form of games. With the
older children this may take the form of discussion and exploration as well as games.
It may be appropriate in this section of work to combine some of the groups for
sessions. The resources needed for this section of work will be a combination of those
used so far. Taking a lead from the children’s favourite methods of recording their
work I will offer them an option to produce a display, or some work that we can share
with their schoolmates and/or parents.
61
The original content above was adapted, and extended to fit around the needs of the children,
and as a result of the on-going process of reflection and analysis. Examples of plans and
outlines of sessions are included in Appendices 3–6. Some plans were detailed and timed,
whereas others were outlines for a session. Every session was also recorded in my field notes,
and reflected on in my journal.
As with many kinds of teaching it is necessary to have a plan that can be altered as necessary
to fit the needs of the class before you (Kyriacou, 1998). I did not work from educational
style lesson plans as might be found in a teacher training course, because each session, and
the content over the whole study, was adapted to the needs of the children. Neither did I plan
out a scheme of work. Instead, I wrote brief outlines, then reflected on each session, using
that as a guide as to what to include in the next. There was an overall shape to the content as
described, however, the intention was not to deliver a course of material, but to shape the
content to the needs and desires of the children. The sessions were educational, although
within somatic movement with a trained educator/therapist these boundaries may overlap.
3.8 THE SETTING
The school is a small school in a rural village setting where few pupils are eligible for free
school meals. Most pupils come from White British backgrounds, with a few from other
White European or Asian heritages. A lower than average proportion of pupils had special
educational needs and/or disabilities. In 2010 the school was rated as ‘good’ by OFSTED. In
2012 there were 72 children on the roll (33 boys and 39 girls). The year groups range in size
62
from 8–15. There were no EAL pupils1. At the beginning of my time with the school, it had
less than sixty pupils from Reception class to Year 6. An additional class was added with two
members of staff, so that by the time the study finished it had four teachers and five teaching
assistants on its staff. I worked within every class at the school at some point. The
relationship between the children, the teaching staff and me built up trust and ease of
communication. This enabled the children to express themselves freely in a supportive and
non-judgemental space. The children experienced sharing their poses, thoughts and ideas
with each other.
Before beginning the data collection for this project, I had volunteered to teach yoga and
movement sessions at the school for most of a year. My own children were attending the
school, and I wanted to contribute and offer what I could. Permission was granted by the
Headteacher, and I worked with each class one afternoon a week. These sessions were a
combination of yoga, Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy, and exploratory
movement. Although there was always space to talk, communicate, and to share experiences,
the children were not offered drawing materials or time to reflect on their work routinely. I
was, at that time, in a role of instructor and parent. A large proportion of parents contributed
to the school, for example by reading, or fixing the computer systems. Parents also gave their
time to help tidy up outside spaces, create art and run parent association events to raise funds.
By volunteering I got to know the Headteacher, the class teachers and the teaching assistants.
Many of the parents knew me and were informally aware of the work that I was doing
because both my children were attending the school. When identifying a setting to use for my
research project, I initially thought I should use another school because of the personal
1
Figures provided by current Headteacher, and taken from OFSTED report 22/03/2010 inspection number
339278, Kent Schools Mosaic Profile 2008, RAISEonline 2011 Summary Report and data from Dover District
Council.
63
connection. However, that personal connection meant that the sessions would be an extension
of, and not an introduction to, the work. After discussion with my supervisory team, and with
an awareness of the implications that it might have, I approached the Headteacher and asked
if he would like the school to be involved. He was keen for the continued input, and I
formally approached the Governors for permission; and then the parents for consent.
The children knew me as I had been involved with the school in my role as a parent. During
the course of this study I completed my Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE), and
also acted as a volunteer in a cover teacher capacity. At the school there were some children
who belonged to a religious group who did not participate in assembly or church services.
Some parents did talk to me part-way through the study and after consenting, to clarify that
the content was not religious. In addition, I was asked for advice with regard to how best to
build strength in a joint that had been in plaster, as well as general questions about content of
the sessions and physical fitness.
One other aspect of my project, and of my approach to my work and my practice, are my
other roles as a woman, and a mother. I have two children, and at times both have been in my
classes and sessions. This added to the dynamics of the group sessions. I think it changed the
way that the children viewed me. I could be seen as a teacher, as an instructor, and also as a
parent, as Daisy’s mum. Some of the children have been to my house, and I have fed them
dinner, played with them and even helped them on the toilet. Other teachers and assistants
have had their own children in classes before, so this was not an unusual situation in this
particular school. The children talked to me in the playground, their parents saw me and
spoke to me and I imagine that this helped to build a positive and trusting relationship. The
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children knew that I was a part of the community, that I was there and present in their lives
and perceived me to be around for a long time to come. The children were not participating in
a project with a limited life, but in sessions that they thought could continue whilst I was still
associated with the school. My relationship with the staff may also have been affected by my
being a parent in addition to a researcher. Again the school may have trusted me more as the
well-being of the children and the school is important to me as an individual, and I am
committed to the school and the community. I have spent time helping out in classes in
addition to the research sessions and this too showed my support for and of the school.
3.9 PHASES OF THE STUDY
The first phase of my project involved five weeks of sessions at the school. I had six sessions
at the school each week, each session lasting for about an hour. I was also at school one
afternoon a week volunteering as cover for the class teacher’s Planning, Preparation and
Assessment (PPA) time. This phase of work was very intense for me.
The following phases of work were arranged differently, as I had to fit around time on
placement as part of my PGCE. I worked in the school one afternoon a week, and saw two
groups each time, from the same class. Due to external circumstances the second phase was
not as long as originally intended, and I did not get to work with all classes. However, I led a
workshop as part of the school Science Week with twelve children from across the school.
We had an afternoon to work, and then prepared a display to be put up as part of an open
afternoon for the school and parents.
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The last phase of work was again different, as the school was undergoing extensive
reorganisation, moving from three classes of children to four. This meant that the space
previously used for sessions was now permanently occupied as a classroom. Only one class
was big enough for movement work. This was the room belonging to class 4, with children in
Year 5 and Year 6 (age 9–11). During this time I also worked voluntarily with two of the
younger classes in their physical education sessions. Although this movement work had
similarities to previous research sessions, this contact was not officially part of my research
study. I made notes on these sessions, and gained feedback from the teachers, but no data
were gathered from the children. The last phase of work with class 4 was comprised of nine
sessions, and a final visit to finish and put up a display.
I made field notes on my observations as well as collecting data from the children in the
official sessions in the form of artwork, journals, models and words. I kept a reflective
journal in which I recorded my thoughts, perceptions and ideas each week. From this journal
I took questions to professional supervision, which I attended with a counsellor and
psychotherapist. There were three main issues that arose for me personally within the
fieldwork. These included the pedagogical aspects of the sessions; the theoretical and
analytical thoughts on the work; and around my own process, which included physical
sensations, and the emotional reactions that I had. Where relevant to the planning and
delivery of the sessions, excerpts from field notes and my journal have been included within
the descriptions of the phases of the study.
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3.9.1 FIRST PHASE
The first phase of the project involved working with all the children in the school once a week
for five weeks. I worked with half of each class within a session, and each session was about
45 minutes to 1 hour in length (except for the very last session with class 3 (age 9–11), which
was the whole class for 13/4 hours). During the previous year at the school I had worked with
classes on a voluntary basis, taking the whole class at a time. A large class necessitated me
taking a more didactic teacher-led style than I envisioned for these sessions, which I wanted
to be more exploratory in nature. This boundary between the need for an orderly (yet fun)
class, and one that allowed students the space to be more experimental was a theme that ran
through my reflexive journal and lesson plans throughout the whole data collection.
“In some sessions I feel that I am having to focus more on behaviour-management and
the drill sergeant ‘copy me’ style is then most effective, although this does not elicit,
nor allow time and space so much for the children to explore their own experience.
Partly this seems to be where there are more new children in the group who are less
used to me and the way in which I work.” (Reflexive Journal phase 1)
“Generally the class was noisy and active, though by the end producing really
interesting and different work. Very clear difference to me with research as opposed
to education– if I had been in charge of the class as their teacher I would not have
wanted so much noise, but for this I want them to have the freedom to be creative and
expressive. Interestingly one of the loudest groups were actually working very
safely.” (Reflexive Journal phase 3)
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I had a duty of care to keep the children safe, and to maintain behaviour standards, and yet I
wanted to establish an environment where they were secure, and no answer was ‘wrong’ or
‘right’. This was an integral part of my intention to keep the sessions, and my research,
Person-Centred. My approach did work, as can be seen from my entry early into phase 1,
“how the children are free to have different experiences” (Reflexive Journal phase 1). In
order to minimise behaviour issues, I arranged with the class teachers to split the classes as
they wished. This enabled them to focus work with the children remaining in class whilst I
led the sessions. Smaller groups also allowed the children to feel as if they had more space.
Although the room we used was big, a lot of furniture was stored against the walls. I tended
to arrive early, help clear up after the lunch time school dinners, clean the floor and lay out
mats. We used a set of yoga mats as the gym mats kept in the hall were not ideal for
movement work. At times the transitions between groups were challenging. The room we
used was off-site, so a teaching assistant would walk the group of children to the space, stay
with them for the session, then return them to the school. If two groups overlapped, then both
groups had the potential to become distracted.
The first sessions were designed to take the form of balanced, stand-alone workshops that
would build up knowledge and experience. Each session was designed to incorporate a range
of guided movements that were physically balanced, and so included twists, forward bends,
backward bends and time to be still. These aspects of the class were fairly recognisable as
yoga, although at all times there was an emphasis on allowing children to copy me rather than
conform to an ‘ideal’. This approach is recommended by many teachers (Fursland, 1989;
Gibbs, 2003; Weller, 1996; Phillips & Stewart, 1992), and was borne out by my experience of
teaching yoga to children over the previous ten years. A balanced yoga session combines the
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short-term needs with the long-term goals of those in the practices, and also takes into account
what they have to do next (Desikachar, 1995). The somatic education aspect of the work was
present both in the approach to the material and the content, in that it included body
awareness, time for relaxation, a focus on posture and movement, emotional, social and
environmental awareness (Linden, 1994). The sessions also had more time within them for
drawing, mark-making and writing, so the participants could start to journal and reflect on the
work, as in Authentic Movement.
Because the phases were not equal for all the children, the initial phase was adapted to include
elements of the initial course outline, so that the participants were able to gain a rounded
experience. The content of the first phase of sessions was based around ideas of finding
shapes to be still, balance, bends and twists, our moving bodies, animals and our organs (the
heart). The plan for the first week can be seen in Appendix 3.
I took a slightly different approach with the older children than the youngest. The first
session was about gaining assent for their participation, and introducing how the work was
slightly different to that of previous classes with me. For each session I also wrote out a
detailed plan, with timings, and an example for Week 2, themed around balances, can be seen
in Appendix 4.
I wrote detailed observations on every group and every class, and reflected on the sessions in
addition. My reflections from the first two weeks show how the material was received.
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“Sessions going well, teachers receptive… Most groups are keen and eager. There is
a big variation within each class and the material is being received very differently
within and between each group. In general there are lots of words and thoughts and
movements that are incredibly fascinating
-many children confident to speak and to express themselves within the group- this
was less so in the groups with more distractible children- eg class 3 group 2 (B.) and
week 2, class 1, group 2 (lots of the boys)
-gender split fairly evident in choices of partners, poses, willingness to work together
or not.” (Week 1&2 Reflective Journal)
The differences between groups as well as classes, continued throughout this phase. For
example, in a session with a focus on the heart I noted “whereas the first group mostly drew
anatomical hearts, this group drew mostly romantic hearts” (Field Notes). The two groups in
question were from the same class, the same range of ages and mix of gender. The material
shown to them was identical. The children did not work closely together, but each had their
own space, spread out around the hall, so copying from each other does not explain this. If
the children had copied from each other though “this was not necessarily problematic as the
drawings still represented children’s ideas as a group” (Punch, 2002, p. 36).
I worked with the children in this way for three afternoons a week, which, at the time, proved
to be challenging both physically and emotionally.
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“I am quite tired as the preparation for each session includes lots of exercise and the
sessions themselves are particularly bouncy.” (Reflexive Journal phase 1)
“Need to be aware of all the issues this has for me– emotional response...Need to be
careful.” (Reflexive Journal phase 1)
In order to accommodate this, I arranged for professional supervision in this phase of the
project, and used my journal to help process my experiences.
“I realised that one difference between this work (as my doctorate) and my normal
therapeutic/educational work is that it is a lot more challenging to let go of this. In
part this is due to my working habits– fitting it in around everything so that it is an
intrinsic part of my life it feels as if there is always a part of my brain working,
analysing and churning it about...This is not particularly useful for the letting go part
that is necessary in normal therapeutic work! I talked to a friend who is a counsellor
about this, and have made a note to take it to my next supervision session with my
professional supervisor. I have been keeping my academic supervisors up to date with
what I have been doing but due to the summer, the on-going transfer...I have been
feeling a bit adrift.” (Reflexive Journal phase 1)
Supervision is an aspect of reflective practice that will be discussed later. The differences
between this project, and my previous work with children were becoming clear even in these
first few weeks: “this is a big difference for me between these sessions and those in bham (sic.
Birmingham) which were always after/out of school and voluntary” (Reflective Journal) and I
had to ensure that the purpose of the work was kept clear at all times, whilst I began to feel
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the edges of my roles as educator, therapist and researcher: “the data collection part of the
project is separate to the education aspect– it is a phenomenological account/study/exploration
of children’s education in ‘embodiment’” (Reflexive Journal Phase 1). My role as a mother
also had implications for me, and the opportunities that I had to witness the children of the
school in different scenarios, and relate this to my work.
“Observed an out of school choir– aware of differences due to context? Within the
school day even if children have to assent to take part reality is that they are in a mode
of doing what their teacher wants. They have to choose to go to an after school club
so those children who are less willing, who may be more distracted/disruptive not
present. If they do not behave they do not get to go. Also a child that ‘needs’ more
support may not get the chance to go as the parent perceives that they would not be
welcome?” (Reflective Journal phase 1)
Some individuals in the sessions had recurring behaviour issues: “F. and M. and C. are very
distracted…All the children got a big star except for F. and C. and M. I asked them to fiddle a
little less” (Field Notes). Over time I was usually able to engage the children by one way or
another. I gave out star stickers to those who worked well, I talked to some after the sessions
if appropriate, to encourage better behaviour in the future: “lots of stars (all the children, big
well done to C. and M. and F. as they had done really well)” (Field Notes phase 1). Because I
spent time in the school covering teachers’ preparation time and helping out in classes, I was
also able to observe the children in normal lessons. This allowed me insights into where
behaviour issues were specific to the sessions with me, and were more general issues within
school.
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“From observing F. in class I don’t think her behaviour is particular to the sessions–
she often appears unengaged, distracted and has issues with the other girls in the class
(picking fights, being ‘spiteful’ other children unwilling to partner her) yet she has
those that are keen to be her friend.” (Reflective Journal)
My main tactic to elicit positive behaviour was to use positive encouragement, and this
worked well.
“Lots of verbal positive encouragement “I like how A. is using her face…”; “look at
how J. is being a twist snake”. J. did not want to join in until he became a standing up
twisty snake which was fantastic.” (Field Notes)
The behaviour in the sessions was an issue on which I reflected throughout the study, and
took to supervision sessions along with other aspects of the study that I found particularly
challenging or interesting. I wanted to adjust the pattern of working within the next phases of
work, to support my own process as much as ensure that the sessions continued to be of the
most use to the children as well as providing data for this research.
3.9.2 SECOND PHASE
The second phase of work at the school was scheduled to run throughout the spring term
2008-9. I had arranged to work with one class at a time, giving each three sessions on how,
why, and what they move. I chose these themes to encourage expression of the children’s
qualities of movement. I wanted them to begin to notice their own moving body, and begin to
be aware of the different ways in which they could move and how that would be perceived by
others. This approach was designed to enhance the children’s inner awareness, “the dialogue
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between inner and outer experience in relation to the whole person” (Olsen, 1998, p. 11).
Olsen talks of the capacity to listen and be sensitive to our body as something that closes
down as we grow older. “As children we are necessarily involved in our relationship to the
outer environment for survival” (ibid.); she implies that children are more embodied than
adults. This was borne out in the session on ‘why we move’ with Year 3 and 4 children (age
7–9), when I noted “some were confused/wanted to have more direction– interesting as the
littler ones were happy just to draw a picture of why they moved” (Reflective Journal). This
‘natural’ embodiment of children is in part due to their physical interaction with the world
around them. Tobin (2004) discusses how the body, and children’s experience of their bodies
is being threatened by societal changes to pre-school and early education. The moral panic
over what constitutes appropriate touch along with emphases on the importance of words
rather than physical expression have resulted in children who have access to less contact and
bodily movement in their early childhood educational settings. Tobin also talks of the effect
of new academic, medical and legal disciplines of sexuality, logocentrism, brain research,
phonics instruction and the decline of classical psychoanalytic influence as being factors that
collectively contribute to the disembodying of young children (ibid.). Restrictions on early
eductators may include “childcare workers...routinely prohibited from...even assisting them to
change their underclothes and clean off after having a bowel movement in their pants” (Tobin,
2004, p. 112), or, even if not explicitly forbidden, then the picking up or comforting of a
crying child is frowned upon. In my own experience as a mother of young children, I have
been asked to sign consent forms allowing nursery workers to cuddle my child. I have heard
stories in the playground of a nursery setting where a child with diarrhoea was left in soiled
clothes until his mother came to pick him up, because the careworkers were not allowed to
change him for fear of child abuse allegations. As a student teacher I attended child
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protection training, and at one school was told to never touch a child. If I touched a child, or
was touched by a child I was to report it to my head of department immediately. The school
this research takes place in, has a more human attitude to touch. One teacher told me that she
felt that it would be damaging to her pupils if she pushed them away when they ran to hug
her. The children here, particularly the youngest ones, are affectionate towards their teachers,
and that affection is reciprocated.
Each class was split into half for these sessions, and the teachers chose the groups so that they
could maximise time with those remaining behind in the class. I would have a teaching
assistant to work with me. I began with the youngest children, in class 1, which combined
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children (age 4–7). In the first session, we explored ‘how we
move’ by starting in mouse pose. This pose, also called child’s pose or balasana (Yee &
Zolotow, 2002), is where the body is flexed forward at the hips and the legs are folded
underneath in a kneeling position. The head rests on the floor, or on the legs.
This position allows the children to focus in on their own experience, to shut out the world
around them and to be still. The contact between the belly and the legs also stimulates
physiological flexion (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993). This is the process whereby the flexor
muscles on the front of the body increase their tone, and this in turn decreases the tone of the
tissues of the body, facilitating relaxation. The opposite effect, to increase tone (as might be
indicated for an individual with low muscle and tissue tone for example someone with
Down’s Syndrome (Sumar, 2007)) is achieved by being in a position where the back of the
body is contact with the floor or support, such as a large exercise ball (Brook, 2001).
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FIGURE 3 CHILD'S POSE, BALASANA
The groups were then asked to think about how they moved, before doing it, and to start
moving just one part of their body. They progressed through moving the head whilst lying
prone on the floor, the spine in forward back and twisting motions, their fingers, toes, legs and
their arms. The children continued on to moving two different parts of their body, all the time
being asked to think about how they moved. Quality of movement was then explored, using
slowly, softly (how are they different?), then quickly as prompts: “E. said that softly was
different because it was calmer. She had been lying down, stretching, rolling and twisting her
body” (Field Notes phase 2).
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The next step was to explore mood, emotion and movement. The children were asked how
they were feeling, and then prompted to show me. “I asked them how they were feeling
(happy) and asked if they could move happily– very bouncy– lots of jumps” (Field Notes
phase 2). I took suggestions for other emotions for the groups to show through movement
“excited (very bouncy), nervous, scared (very inward, foetal, withdrawn), embarrassed, angry,
loving” (Field Notes phase 2). I noticed that “the mood of the children altered with every
mood or emotion that the children moved– however they were at all times choosing to join
in– as well as choosing the emotions” (Field Notes phase 2).
The older children (Years 2, 3 and 4) chose to explore happy, excitedly, relaxed, sad,
silly/crazy, lazy, amazed, hot, grumpily and confused. The groups were asked to draw or
write how they moved, before finishing the class with the circle game and quiet time in mouse
pose.
The second sessions focused on the idea of ‘what we move’. This time I introduced the idea
of what is inside our bodies, using props including an organ dolly, which is a soft toy with
removable internal organs, and a skeleton made of plastic bones that attached to a Velcro
sheet. However, before using either of these props, I again asked the children to start in
mouse pose, and to think about what is inside them. After a minute of quiet, they stretched,
and I asked each child to name what they had thought. Answers varied from “heart”, “brain”,
“blood” to “lots of sweeties”, “x-rays” and “power”. We then used the dolly to show the
organs, and asking the children to feel and show where their own organs are. They put the
bones of the skeleton in order, and named some. We explored how moving like the bones, the
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brain or other things inside us at the children’s suggestions, were different. The groups
showed different movements and qualities of movements.
“bones– jumps, runs, handstands
brains– on the floor head on the floor as well as sparky quick hand movements from
L.
hearts– running, and modelling of hearts
blood– again running, and use of arms” (Field Notes phase 2)
Drawing time was given so that they could mark-make and also talk to me about what they
were drawing, and then in the circle game, children were asked to show something relating to
the work.
“C.–heart-standing up tall, bouncing on heels up and down
M.– brain–mouse pose
A.–blood-running blood backwards and then forwards on the mat
R.– power–jump” (Field Notes phase 2)
The third session focused on ‘how we move about’. This theme was intended to explore
patterns of locomotion, and developmental movement patterns. By using animals as
examples, I was able to cover a range of the patterns described by Hartley (1989), including
spinal patterns, homologous push (upper and lower), homologous reach and pull (upper and
lower), homolateral push (upper and lower) and contralateral reach (upper and lower). The
range of developmental patterns can be found in Appendix 7.
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The children were asked to move their heads whilst prone (Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex)
(Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993), and then to reach out and look around them (Asymmetrical Tonic
Neck Reflex) (ibid.). I asked them to move like snakes, then like lizards and to roll over and
move their limbs whilst on their back to notice any differences. They were asked to move and
to crawl; like a dog, a bear, a cartoon, and to hop like a frog or a rabbit, moving forwards and
backwards as each of these, noticing if any were easier or harder. The animal movement
patterns covered developmental movement patterns in an experiential not therapeutic way. If
I was working therapeutically with an individual, then we would explore a pattern in depth,
re-patterning where it was inaccessible initially. The process of re-patterning in somatic
bodywork is described by Hartley and Bainbridge-Cohen (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993; Hartley,
1989). These movements were intended to be experiential and educational, giving the groups
an experience of choosing between different modes of locomotion and noticing which came
more naturally to them.
After drawing time, we played a game where the children had to either balance, or move on
two, three or four limbs depending on the number I called, before finishing in mouse pose. I
observed that “F. worked out that lizarding is easier on the wooden floor and they moved
about a bit as lizards, and rocking and crawling. T. frog hopped and they played with the
difference of frog hopping, and rabbit hopping (which J. did perfectly) some complained that
they couldn’t do one or the other” (Field Notes phase 2).
The material described here bears resemblance to ‘Jenny’, one of three case studies of Dance
Education in an exploration of the dance curriculum by Bresla (2004). She describes three
aspects of dance education as; rhythmic movement, form and conscious awareness. This last,
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the ‘how and why we do something’ draws on the kinaesthetic sense and awareness of our
interactions within our bodies and with the outside world. I believe that it is this aspect of my
work that shares similarities to dance. These close associations may explain why many
students on somatic education courses like my own training, are from a dance background.
3.9.3 SCIENCE WEEK
Due to unexpected conflicts with the requirements for my PGCE, I was only able to complete
phase two with the youngest children. I had one week with class 2, as they had to cancel one
session. However, I was able to complete the workshop and display that was part of the
school Science Week. For this I took twelve children (two boys and two girls from each
class), and with a teaching assistant, led a workshop based on a story by Paul Geraghty
(1988). The playful nature of this was chosen deliberately, as “with children the distinction
between dance-movement and play acting is often blurred” (Wengrower, 2009, p. 21).
The story, ‘Over the Steamy Swamp’, is a tale about a hungry mosquito, who is hunted by a
greedy dragonfly, who is hunted by a famished frog, who is hunted in turn by a peckish fish,
and likewise a hungry heron, a starving snake, a craving crocodile, a hostile hunter and a great
big ravenous lion. The mosquito bites the lion, who yells “YEOW!”, and in turn all the beasts
see each other until frightened creatures flee in all directions. The story has a lot of repetition
and rhythm, and as such is engaging. It is not a story that is well known, like Michael
Rosen’s ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, which also has a repeating rhythm and structure
(Rosen & Illus. Oxenbury, 1989) and uses animals, imagery and expressive words and can be
used to explore developmental patterns. The children in the Science Week workshop listened
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to the story, showed me their animals, and came up with a display. Some of the images and
words that the children put together can be found in Appendix 8.
FIGURE 4 CHILDREN WRITING AND SKETCHING IN SCIENCE WEEK
The words, along with pictures drawn by and of the children were arranged onto three large
posters which formed part of the display for children and parents at the culmination of
Science Week. The children and I met to put together the posters, and to add drawings from
the material gathered and generated in the workshop.
3.9.4 THIRD PHASE
The final data-gathering phase of the research was with the oldest children. As mentioned,
the school had reorganised the classes into four, rather than three at the start of the new
academic year. Class 4 now had children from Year 5 and Year 6 (age 9–11). Before the end
of the year I had spoken to all those leaving the school and moving onto senior schools to
ensure that they had a chance to review all the work they had done with me, and to talk about
it. For the new sessions I arranged with the class teacher to come in one afternoon a week, on
the day when the teaching assistant only worked a half-day. This allowed the class teacher to
have some extra time to get on with her own work, and meant that although the class teacher
was present, she did not participate or assist in the sessions. In the past, some of the teaching
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assistants I had worked with had sat out, however most had joined in, and all had participated
in terms of behaviour-management when necessary. I had also, apart from on one occasion,
always worked with half the class, at my request. This was in part to ensure that there was
enough equipment, and that behaviour was more manageable. It was also to foster a sense
that the work was different to normal class-work, and give the children freedom to share,
speak freely and explore the material in their own way. This was, however, no longer
possible. We were working in the children’s normal classroom, with tables and chairs pushed
back as much as possible. The space left was narrow, had no walls free and meant that the
children were quite cramped. The whole class would be present, and although the class
teacher would be in the room, she would not be participating, nor contributing to behaviourmanagement unless at my explicit request.
I decided to use the time in the sessions (an hour and a half each week) to work on strong
physical exercise based around suryanamaskar or the sun salute. I used the principle vinyasa
karma or “the technique of progressing step by step from the known into the unknown”
(Devereux, 1998, p. 46) by beginning with a structured set of postures before moving into
more progressive work. Although Devereux talks of this as steps towards a wider range or
more advanced set of asanas, I used a familiar series as a prelude to the experiential and
reflective material. Traditionally a yoga practice begins with suryanamaskar as it “warms up
the body, awakens the breathing, initiates the breath/body synchronization, focuses the mind”
(Devereux, 1998, p. 68). This approach is most often used in astanga vinyasa yoga (Pattabhi
Jois, 1999; Scott, 2000; Swenson, 1999), which is a very physical form of practice. I have
found this approach works well with energetic youngsters and with men, as it is athletic as
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well as tiring. Before the first session, I wrote my intentions and a plan in my Journal, and
these can be seen in Appendix 6.
From the beginning of these sessions I wanted to introduce concepts that would encourage the
class to think about their experience and reflect on it. We spent a few weeks thinking about
the idea of stretch. Of what it felt like emotionally and physically, of what it looked like in
ourselves and in others, and how we could use it. I included sun salutes every time, in part
because they are a series of exercises that can be done taking up only a little space. We also
addressed the ideas of pain, of happiness and of recognising emotions in ourselves and in
other people. The class was encouraged to think about the meaning of the words as well as
the emotions in themselves and what it meant for others. As a group we explored how we
could show and express emotions through our bodies as ‘frozen’ images as well as through
movement. This was used as a game “strike a pose– for an emotion (sad, happy, fear etc.)
count from 5 strike a pose to show that emotion and think where in your body you feel it”
(Plan phase 3) as well as the basis for individual, partner and group work.
In preparation for a display we explored how stories are told through words and pictures, and
I visited the class in Book Week and read to them. This work fitted well with their on-going
literacy themes which were also to do with characterisation, emotion and expression. We had
six sessions, and then stopped as the class had other commitments. In the following term I
met with them again over three days as we worked intensively on a display to put up in their
classroom. These sessions were very child-led, as apart from a structured warm-up, the class
worked individually or in small groups to produce posters. They outlined their ideas,
practiced and took photographs of their movements and poses then compiled them. They
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were free to choose any aspect of the work that they wanted to. Some chose to share the work
on emotions. Others shared the work on understanding what makes them (and their friends)
happy. Some drew yoga poses or wrote poetry. A theme for many groups was balancing on
top of each other. Although this was not something I had taught them, I did want to allow
them the freedom to move as they wished within the bounds of safety. “Because of all the
balancing and stretching do a longer a warm up...Enforcing again the need to be aware of each
other particularly when balancing or climbing on each other” (Reflective Journal). The
classes were often very loud, and looked slightly chaotic, yet nearly all the children were
taking very good care of each other because they were aware. One child was in a group that
appeared to be very loud, but were in fact being very safe, so I asked him to speak to the class
about “what it was like to be hung between two friends– said he felt safe, trusted them not to
drop him” (Field Notes). However, not all children were paying this much attention, and I
noted that two children who had joined the class after the six sessions earlier in the year and
so had not worked with me before, were “least aware” (Reflective Journal). I also “spoke to
the teacher– about how this is different to ‘education’ need for more creativity and freedom
but has the edge of being less in control as a teacher. She agreed and said they were enjoying
it. They need in this research to have the freedom to express what they want and not what
they think I want” (Reflective Journal).
3.10 CONSIDERATIONS NEEDED IN PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH
Research methods are tools used by researchers to gather certain types of data, and as such
have inherent strengths and limitations. One strength of participatory research is that it allows
the participants to actively contribute and allows their voice to be heard and recorded. The
concept of voice in the social sciences has different meanings. It can be taken to mean,
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‘having a say’ but can also encompass the language, emotional components and non-verbal
means used to express opinions (Thomson, 2008). Children, just like adults, do not speak as
one voice. They have different perspectives, experiences and opinions. Individuals also use
more than one voice, and Thomson (2008) identifies five as follows:
1. Authoritative– a representative voice used to speak on behalf of a group, elicited
through surveys or discourse analysis;
2. Critical– intended to challenge the current state or portrayal;
3. Therapeutic– this is heard in safe spaces where difficult experiences can be discussed
and supported;
4. Consumer– expressing preferences about lifestyle or culture and choices about
identity;
5. Pedagogic– a voice that is created by the experiences of being educated by particular
kinds of people and regimes. (ibid)
Within each research project it is up to the researcher to define which voice she is aiming to
capture and the best methods of achieving this. Participatory research methods, in which the
participants are actively involved with the research, may allow situations where the
participants feel safe, and able to say what they think without fear of judgement. Participatory
observations involve watching, listening, engaging with the participants and reflecting with
them with regard to meanings (Clark, 2005). Children may be reluctant to say anything that
they feel would displease the researcher. Thomson states that children may “feel more at ease
in a pair or a group” (2008, p. 6); however in my experience this is not always the case.
Within groups that I have led it takes time for the children to be confident in the facilitator’s
ability to deal with any situation so that an opinion does not lead to ridicule or have a negative
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impact for the child within their peer group. I feel that this aspect of facilitating a group
draws heavily on holding a therapeutic Person-Centred perspective (Kirschenbaum &
Henderson, 1990). This involves creating a space where all the children feel secure to express
themselves physically and verbally and know that their contributions are valid. The
relationship between a researcher and her participants, the methods she chooses and the way
in which she then analyses the data are all important in a phenomenological approach that
aims to give voice to the participants (Larkin et al, 2006). However, this emphasis stems
more from my training in somatic psychology and movement therapy than participatory
research methods. Participatory research methods may elicit the ‘therapeutic’ voice
mentioned earlier, but may not provide a safe space in which the participant can be supported
and held within a therapeutic context. Not all researchers using this approach to gather data
are trained in therapeutic skills. The eliciting of data for research purposes that may not be in
the best interests of the participant to share in that moment for that purpose could be
considered as a limitation of this approach.
Other limitations of participatory research would combine those of all the research methods
that are used within the given project. Potential weaknesses of qualitative research in general
include the bias of the researcher, over analysing results, under analysing results, producing
work that is lacking in validity, reliability and relevance (Silverman, 2006). One aspect
particular to participatory research is the level in which participants are engaged and active
within the project. There are different levels of participation. The participants may be
considered co-researchers throughout the project and be included and consulted throughout
the project. This could include the formulation of the hypothesis (or hypothesis generation
from initial analysis if a grounded theory approach is taken (Holloway, 1997)), data
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generation and/or collection, data analysis and construction of meaning and also involvement
as the research audience. The level of participation of the participants will affect the
relationship between the participants and the researcher. This relationship between the
researcher and the participants is one of the issues that needs careful consideration in
participatory research methods. The researcher may view herself as a co-researcher however
this may not be how she is perceived by the participants. There may be power inequalities
where the participants try to please the researcher and say what they think is wanted, rather
than what they ‘really’ feel. This is particularly the case when children or young people are
participating in research (Lewis et al, 2004).
If the participants are co-constructive with respect to the meaning and interpretation of the
data, and after reflection they choose to withdraw participation or significantly change their
words then this may have implications for the researcher. This in part depends on how much
the researcher allows the participant to be active within the project and the analysis of the
data. It may be that the participants are active within certain phases of the research and not
others. This may include actively including the participants in the generation of data and
reflections, but not in the analysis and authoring of the final study. The role of the researcher
within the project may change throughout the research, from that of co-constructor and coresearcher to author and presenter. It is also important to remember the role of the research
audience for any given project as this will in turn affect how the research is disseminated and
how the participants feel about their active role and their privacy. This distribution of the
roles of researcher and of participant can be more complex in participatory research projects
than in those that have less active collaboration. The nature of the data affects how active the
participants can be within the analytic and interpretative phases.
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Further considerations include elements of the design and methods used in the study. The
sample was chosen because of the relationships that had been previously built up between
myself as practitioner and the school. This was seen to facilitate open and honest
communication from the children (Irwin & Johnson, 2006), and make them less likely to only
say things they thought I wanted to hear (Punch, 2002). However, in some sense this was a
sample of convenience. The sample was small in size, which can be considered to be a
positive for phenomenological analysis (Smith et al, 2009), but does limit the generalizability
of the findings. The design of the sessions was aimed to fit in around both my needs and
those of the school. Due to changing external factors these needs necessitated that elements
of the study; such as class size, frequency and duration of sessions and the number of sessions
each age group attended, did not remain consistent. The methods used for data collection
were intended to be diverse and facilitate participation from all the children. Some
approaches may have inhibited this participation for children; if they did not like moving,
drawing, writing, mark or model-making within a group. The interviews were conducted
individually, rather than in groups or pairs which may have inhibited some individuals
(Thomson, 2008). Children were interviewed after the study, and due to the timing of the
phases, a considerable gap had passed for some between their experience of the sessions and
their reflective accounts.
3.11 SUMMARY
This chapter has outlined the methodological approach adopted in this thesis, given an
overview of the setting and study and set out the ethical and other considerations of the
research methods.
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The three phases, and the Science Week workshop all had distinct flavours of content. The
approach, however, remained consistent. It was focused on exploring how the children
perceived aspects of their embodied selves, expressed them through movement, mark-making
and writing, and reflected on them. Working with the youngest children allowed very
creative elements into the work, as they appeared to have the fewest pre-conceived ideas
about what was expected of them. They allowed themselves to embody the experiential
anatomy, and explore what it felt like to move and to be still within their body and mind. The
very oldest children seemed to enjoy the journaling and reflective side of the work, which was
why phase 3 of the study focused more on this aspect. The longer sessions and larger groups
in this phase, as well as the increased number of sessions meant that we explored perceptions
of emotion alongside the more structured yoga elements over some weeks. The work fit in
well to topics that were covered in class, as well as issues that were affecting the children
generally.
I did my best to be aware of the curriculum topics that each class was learning at all times, so
that the sessions could relate well into the rest of their school work. I felt that this was part of
a good professional communication with the staff. The sessions were seen by staff as
enrichment, and as part of the school’s commitment to increased physical education and
activity rather than educational per se. The sessions did have an educational aspect, however,
and not least that of exploring the connection between the mind (what we think and feel), and
the body (how we hold ourselves, move, and feel). This link between the mind or
consciousness and the body is explored in the next chapter, the first of three chapters of
findings and discussion.
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3.12 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The findings and discussion have been divided into three chapters. The first; ‘Embodiment of
Children’, discusses the data from the study with respect to themes of mind and body, which
includes the ideas of a ‘bodymind’, mindfulness, and perceptions of the body and emotions.
The second; ‘Embodiment and Learning’, discusses the boundary between somatic education
and somatic therapy, examines two school sessions using a therapeutic framework and
includes two case studies of children who participated. The final chapter of results and
discussions is ‘Embodiment and Reflection’. This chapter explores the ideas of reflective
practice and embodied reflective practice, discusses data from the children’s reflective
process and includes a case study on how reflective practice can be perceived in teacher
education.
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CHAPTER 4 EMBODIMENT OF CHILDREN
This section discusses findings of this study in relation to the bodymind, the concepts of
mindfulness and mindlessness and examines the children’s perceptions of the body, its
internal structure, image, and movement.
4.1. BODYMIND
The importance of the bodymind (or embodied mind) as opposed to a body/mind split in the
philosophy of psychotherapy can be traced back through Freud and his discovery of the power
of the unconscious over the conscious and his work on the power-relationship between
therapist and client (Hartley, 2004). Psychology has historically had “a sorry history with the
body, tending either to ignore it (cognitive and social psychology) or treat it as exclusively
functional (biological and neuro-psychologies)” (Cromby, 2011, p. 79). Hardy (1996) speaks
of the schisms between spirit and matter, and masculine and feminine (with the association of
the feminine to nature). She credits this to Descartes’ belief in the authority of mind over the
body, and states that they are entirely separate, or that there is nothing included in the concept
of the body that belongs to the mind, and nothing in that of the mind that belongs to the body
(ibid). This view is still held by some, such as Ecclestone and Hayes (2004) who believe “it
is the rationality and the logocentrism that make us human” (ibid, p. 152). In contrast,
Damasio (1994) puts forward the view of Spinoza, a contemporary of Descartes, who
believed that the body and mind were composed of a single continuous substance. The
philosopher Clark (1998) asserts that the body and mind are interwoven together, whilst body
psychotherapist Totton works from an embodied perspective (2003) and Dance Movement
Therapist Chaiklin (2009), states that “mind is indeed part of the body, and the body affects
the mind” (ibid p. 3).
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The ascendancy of the mind over the body and its importance in the development of Western
philosophy and later medicine and psychology can be traced back to the days of Plato, the
Orphic and Socrates: “the body is an endless source of trouble...only the mind can reach
existence” (Plato (trans. Gallop), 2009). Descartes’ dualism was firmly anti-organic, built on
earlier notions of the physical world as “the domain of corruption and evil” (Watts, 1961, p.
94). The division or schism between mind and body can thus be seen to have affected
Western society from its earliest days, with the body being seen as inferior to the mind.
Eastern philosophy has a different starting point and language when talking of the mind and
body, illustrating “the irrelevance of Western theories to non-Western contexts” (Reed, 2008,
p. 668). For example Neo-Confucianist Chang-Tsai (1020–77) states “therefore that which
fills the universe I regard as my body and that which directs the universe I regard as my
nature” (Chan, 1963, p. 497) and Ch’eng Hao (1032–85) wrote “the man of jen [humanity]
regards Heaven and Earth and all things as one body. To him there is nothing that is not
himself” (ibid). There is no opposition of mind and body in this Chinese view of the world.
Instead, all of us, all of the universe, is seen to be made out of the same stuff, ch’i, or energy.
This could be compared to the reality of the physical world in which we know that all matter
is energy.
In a discussion of Eastern philosophies and their resemblance to Western psychotherapy,
Watts (1961) states that both are concerned “with bringing about changes of consciousness”
(p 4). Western psychotherapy has a primary concern with the study of the mind or psyche as
a clinical entity, whereas “Eastern cultures have not categorized mind and matter, soul and
body, in the same way” (ibid.). The body marks the boundary between the self and the world:
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“my outline, which is not just the outline of my skin but of every organ and cell in my body,
is also the inline of the world. The movements of this outline are my movements, but they are
also movements of the world– its inline” (ibid, p. 70). As such, movement of any kind could
also be seen to be part of the relationship an individual has to the world around them. By
increasing awareness of the bodymind and its movements, it is therefore possible to increase
awareness of that boundary of and relationship with the world (and all others in it). The first
stage of this, as in the philosophy of non-interference, is “that people must accept themselves
as they are” (Watts, 1961, p. 74). There are obvious parallels to Rogerian non-directive
therapy, where the therapist would trust that innate, or ‘embodied’ wisdom of every individual
to overcome problems once they are “clearly and consistently stated” (Watts, 1961, p. 76).
This level of acceptance is where psychotherapy “falls some way short of liberation…The
weakness lies…in tacit agreements– in particular the continued acceptance of the dualistic
view of man” (ibid, p. 101). As therapy implies healing, or making whole, to accept within
this a fundamental schism, is to accept a non-healing and therefore non-liberation of the self.
The aim of psychoanalysis, therefore, is to repair the division between the soul and the body,
and thus allow true liberation or the “recovery from the tactical split between the soul and the
body which seems necessary for the social discipline of the young” (ibid, p. 181).
Theories of mind and consciousness have also been of interest to physicists. As part of work
on reflections, fantasies and essays on the nature of the mind and consciousness, Hofstadter
and Dennett write “it is an attractive notion that the mysteries of quantum physics and the
mysteries of consciousness are somehow one” (Hofstadter & Dennett, 1981, p. 43). In their
opinion, mind can be modelled by non-quantum mechanical computations, and that the
‘observer’ inherent to causal quantum mechanics is a concept that is not precisely defined.
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Rather than worrying about possible eigenstates and branching multiple universes, the effects
fall back into the random of ‘it either happens one way, or it does not’. The role of physics
and where it lies in the Cartesian mind/body discourse and the nature of consciousness is
unclear. Whilst the ability of biologists and psychologists to uncover the detailed physiology
of the body and brain increases down to the molecular levels and beyond, “psychology
becomes a branch of physics, a result that may cause some unease among both groups of
professionals” (Morowitz, 1981, p. 36). The theory of quantum mechanics, and the ideas that
observation and conscious observation or intention effect events in time and space linked new
physics to consciousness. Whilst some physicists, such as Heisenberg, stated that the laws of
nature no longer dealt with elementary particles but with the contents of our minds, others,
like Schrödinger, moved towards mysticism and a sympathy with Eastern philosophies
(Morowitz, 1981). Hartley states definitively “the profound changes in the world of physics
since the beginning of the twentieth century have uprooted the old mechanistic and dualistic
world view of the Newtonian-Cartesian paradigm, creating a radically new perspective and
understanding” (Hartley, 2004, p. 19). She goes further to say that whilst psychology has
been slow to ‘catch up’, the field of holistic body-orientated therapies is based on the view
that spiritual, physical, psychological and social dimensions are intrinsically linked.
4.2 MINDFULNESS AND MINDLESSNESS
Somatic movement is a way of educating someone to be more mindful. The term mindfulness
is, however, “often used in an unclear, even confusing way” (Brown & Cordon, 2009).
Langer (2000) offers a psychological view of mindfulness, whilst Zen Buddhism offers an
alternative definition (Kabat-Zinn, 2004). Both traditions historically and generally agree that
mindfulness is “rooted in the fundamental capacities of consciousness, namely, attention and
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(meta-) awareness” (Brown & Cordon, 2009). In addition, mindfulness can be understood as
a cognitive ability, a personality trait, or as a thinking style (Sternberg, 2000). Somatic
movement allows us to pay more attention to our mind and body, so that we do not become
‘mindless’ (Langer, 1989). Mindfulness practice “makes us more aware of the context and
perspective of our actions” (Langer, 2000, p. 2), giving us a greater sensitivity to our
environment, openness to new information, and enhanced abilities for problem solving
(Brown et al, 2007). Mindfulness can allow a connection to habitual character patterns
through an observation and study of them in the present moment from the removed position
of an internal observer (Weiss, 2009). Mindfulness, or perceived control, has been seen to
have positive effects on stress reduction and health (Brown et al, 2007). The perception of
control, which is not present when acting mindlessly, has been shown to be the significant
variable (Langer, 2000), and “shows promise for cultivating positive psychological qualities”
(Shapiro & Carlsom, 2009, p. 141). The Western view of mindfulness “develops gradually by
looking at aspects of mindlessness and then at the other side of the coin” (Langer, 1989, p.
78), and is not, according to Langer, necessarily the equivalent of the Eastern idea of
mindfulness. This is in part due to differences between the open and creative idea of
mindfulness described above versus a meditative state in which “the mind becomes quieter
and active thought is discouraged” (Langer, 1989, p. 79). The Eastern literature would
classically point to a mindfulness practice that utilised the body as the first and easiest object
to observe, as the “somatic realm…deeply ties into all our emotional and mental
processes…[and] reflects them precisely” (Weiss, 2009, p. 10). Langer does point out that
some Eastern views see the meditating mind to be in a state of ‘de-automisation’ in which old
categories are broken down and freedom is gained from stereotypes and distinctions.
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Mindlessness, according to Langer, can be caused, by among other things: being trapped by
categories; automatic behaviour; or acting from a single perspective. The education system in
the West usually has a focus on goals rather than the process by which they are achieved. It is
an arena in which mindlessness abounds (Lu et al, 2009): “this single-minded pursuit of one
outcome or another, from tying shoelaces to getting into Harvard, makes it difficult to have a
mindful attitude about life” (Langer, 1989, pp. 33 - 4). Outcome orientations can induce
mindlessness throughout life, as we do not have to pay attention if a situation is believed to be
familiar and so only notice minimal cues relating to carrying out the scenario. Conversely, if
a situation is strange to us, then we can become preoccupied and so miss nuances of our own
and others’ behaviour and so become mindless with respect to the immediate situation. With
regards to education, if facts are presented unconditionally, then mindlessness is encouraged
and accepted truths are not challenged. With regard to embodiment, this also applies to how
educators are embodied themselves, as so much of how children learn is through imitation and
observation. If the adults around them accept and move and interact with the world in a way
that precludes the idea of an integrated bodymind, the children will observe and imitate that.
The possibility of attaining and utilising awareness of the whole self is not part of the context
or habitus within which children operate, and that context will affect their behaviour and
attitudes towards their own expression of themselves in the world.
4.3 LEARNING MINDFULLY
The idea of learning through imitation is discussed by Downey in relation to Bourdieu’s
habitus concept (Downey, 2010). Downey uses the example of Brazilian capoeira, a danced
martial art that is traditionally learnt primarily through imitation, experimentation, and bodily
exercises as an example of “embodied knowledge...not simply the acquiring of technique or
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skills but a whole body transformation in strength, flexibility, mobility, perhaps even
personality” (Downey, 2010, p. S22). Capoeira, like many other martial arts, somatic
movement forms and yoga, can, according to practitioners, affect a person’s kinaesthetic
style, the way they interact with the world around them and perceptions they have, and thus
affect the unremarkable daily habits and gestures that make up the habitus. Bourdieu uses the
term ‘hexis’ to signify “deportment, the manner and style in which actors ‘carry themselves’”
(Jenkins, 1992/2002, p. 75). Although the terms ‘habitus’ and ‘hexis’ are similar, bodily
hexis is described as the “mediating link between individuals’ subjective worlds and the
cultural world into which they are born and which they share with others” (ibid). The bodily
hexis is deemed to be an unconscious thing, the essence of how a body exemplifies the basics
of the culture of the habitus, which itself derives from the thoughtlessness of habit and
habituation. It is sometimes claimed that it is possible to ‘see’ by how an individual moves
and relates with the world whether they are ‘embodied’ and in many cases the type of
awareness training that they have had can be identified. This may be that experts have an
‘education of the attention’, they look at the correct things, and thus seem magically aware
(Bailey & Pickard, 2010). Alternatively, it may be due to “highly developed skills of
observation and interpreting the body” (Totten, 2003, p. 80) that body psychotherapists and
somatic practitioners develop though training. This effect may be explained in terms of
Bourdieu’s habitus (Bourdieu, 1990), where an individual moves in a certain way not because
of the activities they do, but by the social context in which the lessons take place.
If embodied and learnt knowledge can be accepted as affecting the habitus, then the definition
may not be as simple, consistent and unconscious as has been thought. Downey stated:
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“practical bodily action instilled and was guided by a socially generated habitus, a
‘structuring structure’ internalized through interaction with people and the physical
environment...the habitus in Bourdieu’s model, is history made flesh, a corporeal
enculturation that assures social and symbolic continuity while underwriting an
individual’s sense of autonomy.” (Downey, 2010, S23)
However, this concept of habitus leaves certain aspects of embodied knowledge unexplored.
Through imitative learning, a form of learning almost unique to humans that may shape
perception and cognition, it may be that somatic movement forms such as capoeira or yoga
can change bodily movement style and affect a gradual but often profound transformation on
an individual.
Whilst Bourdieu asserts that behaviour in activities like sport is learned through silent and
practical unconscious communication, Downey develops this to state that embodied learning
is “neither so quiet nor closed to reflection” (2010, S26). He disagrees with the notion that
movements that are conscious and learned cannot form part of the habitus even if they
transform key habits, posture and characteristics of the habitus. Downey notes, as was
described in relation to the work in this study, that the body needs to be brought into
consciousness in order to focus upon a technique before it becomes habitual and automatic.
Bailey & Pickard (2010) reported a similar process in the skill learning of young dancers.
Langer’s (2000) concept of mindfulness also incorporates a conscious awareness of the self in
order to avoid mindlessness. Mindfulness practice may aid learning, as in order to learn
“abilities to pay attention and sustain attention are essential” (Shapiro & Carlsom, 2009, p.
18). The idea that “what is learned by the body is not something that one has, like knowledge
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that can be brandished, but something that one is” (Bourdieu, 1990, p. 73) does not take away
from the fact that conscious awareness and embodiment can be taught and learnt, and do not
have to be only observed and transmitted at a level below consciousness. The body enacts the
past, it does not remember or reflect, it enacts and performs, bringing those moments and
feelings back to life. Bodily or embodied learning can in fact bring to consciousness
movement traits, postures and tendencies that have become both conscious and problematised
(Fogel, 2009; Hartley, 2004), and it is through the embodied learning, training and increased
awareness that the individual is able to “demonstrably affect physiological change in the
brain, nervous system, bones, joints, sensory organs, even endocrine and autonomic
systems...altering the organic architecture” (Downey, 2010, S27).
Embodied learning happens in part through imitation, in part through skilled teachers and in
part is facilitated by the brain’s ability to perceive the actions of others in a fashion that
significantly overlaps that which it uses to map imagined and actioned actions of the self. The
neural mechanisms of the brain do not cohere to the hypothesis that perception and action
(mind and body) are fundamentally separate. There is no need for a ‘language of thought’ or
an articulation to occur to negotiate a pathway and communication between the two, but
instead it is possible that an internalisation occurs so that movements, attitudes and even
alternative social constructions that are learned consciously become part of the habitus as they
are affected by physical, neurological, perceptual and behavioural changes. In this way, it
may be possible to change the habitus mindfully, and to learn new ways of being and skills,
such as those in capoeira, music, yoga, dance, other somatic movement forms or sports.
Similarly, mindless imitation and action can also have consequences for a person (Langer,
1989).
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Mindlessness can have effects on an individual, including, according to Langer (ibid), an
inhibiting self-image, unintended cruelty, loss of control and stunted potential. An inhibited
self-image can result from a narrow or single pointed view of the self and one’s abilities. A
judgemental and unhelpful critical perspective that arises from a focus on outcome and
comparisons between ourselves and others’ accomplishments can hinder us as we go through
life, as it will stand in the way of the self-acceptance needed for self-actualisation or liberation
(Watts, 1961). If we expect to fail, to be poor, to be uncoordinated because we perceive this
to be a permanent part of our character, then unless the mind-set changes, these illusory limits
become real. It is also possible to self-induce dependence on others through a mindless
acceptance of labels. If we accept a label, for example ‘girl’ and the associated limitations
‘girls are nurses’, and allow ourselves to be defined by the label, then we do not consider
medicine in any other role, e.g. a doctor, as a career choice (Ford, 2007). Mindlessness can
also result in unintended cruelty to others. From Milgram’s classic experiment on obedience
and authority in which subjects administered electric shocks to ‘learners’ and continued to do
so up to a lethal level in 65% of cases (Milgram, 1974) comes the finding that if small steps
are taken after the initial decision is made, then we fall into a routine rather than make
decisions each time. A loss of control happens when mindlessness limits an ability to make
intelligent choices. Loss of control and autonomy can also result from a mindless attribution
of troubles to one source, blaming another for a relationship breakdown, or up-bringing for
alcoholism. Helplessness can be learned through repeated failure, and this too can lead to a
loss of choice and control.
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4.4 BECOMING MINDFUL
Mindfulness can be defined by the key qualities of creations of new categories, openness to
new information and the awareness of more than one perspective (Sternberg, 2000). It can
also be seen as “an enhanced attention to and awareness of current experience or present
reality” (Brown & Ryan, 2003, p. 822). Being able to create new labels, new categories and
to redefine the world around us contributes to a mindful, playful approach to the world.
Mindfulness and psychotherapy can be said to share common goals (Weiss, 2009), and a
personal practice of mindfulness to cultivate a mindful presence in therapeutic work can lead
to “relationships characterised by empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence”
(Shapiro & Carlsom, 2009, p. 17). By looking at movement, and the self in a creative way
that allows the re-categorising of experiences rather than simply attributing to them those
already known, we allow mindfulness to be brought into both the situation and the context in
which it is found.
For example, in a physical education lesson with a theme of festivals and fireworks, I asked
the children to think and feel a colour, then to move as that colour: “the class teacher was
struck by the different qualities of movement she observed. Green was quite calm, red
running, orange spikey, yellow bouncy, blue slower, purple spikey and balancy, gold
swooshy” (PE class 2 Field Notes). This is an example where the children had to pay
attention to and be aware of their feelings and sensations and re-categorised an experience
(colour) into movements, and it was playful, as well as being mindful. Langer’s definition of
mindfulness also includes openness to new information, and that must include new ways of
looking at the world, moving through it or processing it. Her thoughts on reducing
mindlessness in education include changing the language used to open up possibilities
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(Langer, 2000). This would include using terms such as ‘could be’ rather than ‘can only be’,
or, as in the example outlined, allowing learners to have free expression without inhibiting or
censoring their responses.
Meditation is one way that is possible to develop mindfulness, and can take many guises, only
one of which is abstaining from thoughts. Awareness of the body, of the breath (whilst lying,
sitting or moving) are also ways to practise mindfulness and a form of meditation. Rest can
also be meditative in yoga, as it is not going to sleep or napping, but instead an awareness and
process of being still. Traditionally practised in shavasana, or corpse pose, it is a preparation
for death, when “the inside of the head needs to rest the two hemispheres of the brain slide
away from each other there is new space between the two and the head is able to be more
silent more quiet this silence travels to the rest of the body” (Sabatini, 2000, p. 213).
Traditionally this pose is where an individual lies supine, with their arms by their sides and
feet slightly apart, symmetrical about a mid-line. With young children (and any individual
who finds themselves to be easily distracted), it may be more conducive to rest in a prone
position with the arms making a pillow for the head and the big toes touching, as the
underside of the belly is then stimulated by the contact with the floor, which helps to relax the
body, focus the mind and decrease tone in the tissues (Brook, 2001).
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FIGURE 5 RESTING IN PRONE POSITION
Learning to be still in body and in mind can be one of the most challenging aspects of a
mindful practice for many people. Sabatini quotes the song of Mahamudra to illustrate the
processes of relaxation and breathing with awareness “at first, the mind tumbles like a
waterfall in mid-course, it becomes calm like a river flowing slowly in the end, it is an ocean
where two halves merge in one” (Sabatini, 2000, p. 215). If children are taught this skill, then
they are more likely to retain it as adults.
Zen Buddhist ‘mindfulness’ is the practice that informs how Tremmel approaches the idea of
reflective practice. Although he is not a Zen teacher, and explicitly states that it is not within
his remit to teach Zazen (Zen meditation), he does bring up mindfulness within the context of
reflective action to help his students pay attention. Similarly to SME, Zen is a practice that
allows an individual to tune into her senses so that she becomes fully aware of what is going
on around her, thus developing the ‘eyes in the back of the head’ that experienced
practitioners can seem to have.
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Mindfulness, or somatic awareness, is holistic in the sense that is assumes an embodiment of
the soul or spirit in the physical corporal body (Hanna, 1988). This is in opposition to the
view espoused by Derrida (1987), who stated “spirit is not the thing, spirit is not the body” (p.
15). Derrida also states Heidegger’s view, that certain terms such as ‘spirit’ should be
avoided. This avoidance of spirit is in almost direct opposition to the incorporation of
mind/body/spirit that is central to somatic principles. In fact, the body, along with the outside
and the inanimate is described as being “the opposite of spirit” (Derrida, 1987, p. 25).
The next section looks at the data from somatic movement sessions with children, and how
they expressed thoughts about mind, body and bodymind.
4.5 CHILDREN’S SOMATIC MOVEMENT AND BODYMIND
Somatic movement by its nature is ‘embodying’ and promotes mindfulness, as it brings
conscious awareness to the body and its movement and processes. The bringing together of
language, communication and movement experientially reinforces a sense of an integrated
bodymind. The children in this study were not asked to comment specifically on their
perceptions of mind, consciousness and Cartesian duality. My presence as a somatic
movement educator may have implicitly reinforced an idea of bodymind unity in that I used
language that included all their feelings, emotions, and images as well as thoughts. However,
these are children who have grown up in the West, and are subjected to more traditional views
of the body/mind split in most other aspects of their lives. For example, when asked as part of
a session on shapes to be still in, “can you still your mind?” there was a mixed response of
yes, no and maybe. I did, however, ask them about how and why they moved, and the
responses give insight into how they see their bodies and minds.
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“How I move. I move gracefully, happily and joyful. Why I move. I move because
standing in one place will get me nowhere. Things I do. I do birds, bunnies and
tigers.” (C. Year 4)
Here, C. seems to identify herself with a moving, natural world, and expresses a need to
progress forward within it. An older girl, E., struggled to conceptualise her experience just
through thought, but found that processing through other mediums allowed her to reflect on
her moving self.
“I found that like quite hard to like think about it but then it was easier to write, to
draw and write about it.” (E. Year 5)
The experience of the older children appeared to be that they were less comfortable
considering this type of open and exploratory question. At no point did I try to guide them
into giving me a certain type of answer, but allowed them to express what it was they felt,
which included that sense of confusion at or ‘not knowing’, or ‘hardness’ that E. spoke of.
Some of the older children enjoyed the opportunity to consider this type of question.
“Me: How did it feel when I used to ask you to think about what it felt like and to
draw about it and to talk about it and to write about what it felt like to do all
this stuff?
K.:
Sort of -- there was -- it makes me calm.
Me:
It made you calm? What, thinking about how it felt made you calm?
K.:
Yes.
Me:
Yes? Why’s that?
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K:
Well, I think it’s because you really have to think about it and be quiet.
Sometimes you have to be loud and things.” (K. Year 5)
Being given time to consider questions like ‘how does this feel?’, ‘how does this make me
feel?’ and ‘how or where do I feel it?’ was an experience that the children seemed to
appreciate and was a fundamental part of the sessions. Sessions were not just about the
moving, creating body, but also about how that could be expressed. K. continued to talk
about the journaling aspect of the work.
“Me: What was it like writing it or drawing it as well?
K:
It was very fun drawing and writing.
Me:
Why was it fun drawing and writing?
K:
Because you got to write how you felt and what you done and things.
Me:
And you liked doing that?
K:
Yes.
Me:
Yes? Why did you like it?
K:
Because people get to see how you feel.
Me:
Is that important?
K:
Yes.” (K. Year 5)
For K., feeling was not enough, she also wanted to be seen to feel, to be witnessed or
observed by others. Her sense of self needed to be validated by those around her. MI., in
Year 6, wrote about how he sensed the world around him and how that changed dependant on
whether he was moving or still. He separated his brain as an organ, or as thoughts
differentiated from his body.
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“Me: This is all about finding shapes to be still. And you've written “when I'm
moving I can't see things. What I can see when I'm still. My brain I see is a big
grey colour. And you've drawn a box and you've written I feel stuck. And I
think the wood is like a maze. My brain is thinking a bug could be there”. So
you've written thoughts and drawn pictures about the thoughts that you were
having when you were still. That's what it looks like. Is that what it was?
MI:
Yeah, I think so.” (MI. Year 6)
FIGURE 6 MI.'S REFLECTIONS ON HIS BRAIN
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This drawing of the brain, is of an owned “my brain” that is seen by MI. to be part of himself,
rather than the whole of his rational being. He writes “my brain is thinking a bug could be
there”, as opposed to ‘a bug is there’ which he may have done if he had identified solely with
the thoughts originating in his brain. Embodiment does not mean that we do not recognise
our mind and thoughts as part of us, rather that we do not see our thinking self as the totality
of who we are. We become “conscious of thoughts, motives and emotions as well as sensory
and perceptual stimuli” (Brown & Ryan, 2003, p. 822). Consciousness is of course a large
part of who we are, and embodiment does not seek to annihilate the soul and only leave a
body as in the short story ‘An unfortunate Dualist’ by Raymond Smullyan (Hofstadter &
Dennett, 1981, pp. 383 - 4). These children were free to express what they felt. For example,
at the beginning of one session with the oldest children I “asked the children to sit for one
minute, then take two minutes to write/draw what it was like what they felt. One child drew
her mind” (Field Notes phase 1).
FIGURE 7 L. DREW HER MIND
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Another said in an interview about his work “I used dark colours because I was bored at first
and then light colours because I was happy and stuff because we had to use our brain and stuff
to be still and concentrate.”
FIGURE 8 DARK THEN LIGHT MIND
4.6 THE BODY
The body has an intrinsic phenomenological significance. Its centrality has been discussed by
many philosophers including Husserl (Carman, 1999), Merleau-Ponty (2002), Sartre (1969),
Marcel (2011), Straus (1935/1963) and Jonas (2001) among others. Foucault regarded
discipline of the body as one of the means by which the mad could be brought back to an
“affirmation of social standards” (Dreyfus & Rabinow, 1982, p. 9), and “a crucial site of
conflict between various forms of power and resistance to power, like a contested territory”
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(Totton, 2009, p. 191). The idea of the absent body has also been raised by Derrida (1987),
Sokolowski (2000), Merleau-Ponty (2002) and Leder (1990). The idea of a ‘decorporealised’
existence in Western society can be in part attributed to the hold of the Cartesian paradigm
which separates the mind from the body, with the body often relegated to a secondary or
oppositional role from a Platonic ‘purified soul’ (Leder, 1990). This, which could still be
seen as the dominant paradigm of the body, is the one that is promoted through dogmatism or
indoctrination (Bailey et al, 2010), much as dominant paradigms are transferred to the young
in other fields, such as science education (Bailey, 2006).
Many people disassociate themselves from their body to one degree or another, or
differentiate between aspects of their body and consciousness that in turn affects their
perception of their body. For example, Hardy (1996) describes a model of the Higher Self, a
context of personality, which is comprised of the physical, feeling and mental body.
Lu, Tito and Kentel (2009 p. 354) describe how taking a subjective view of the body often
requires a qualitative methodology, and an appeal to phenomenological thinkers who argue
for a “qualitative, hermeneutic approach to the body (the lived body as a text to be
interpreted)”. They go on to explain ‘hermeneutics’ to include things such as body image,
how one comports oneself, how one relates to the world and to others. Also included is the
body’s function to problematise one’s identity, to alter it, to serve as a political statement and
how it can be used to transgress stereotypes and to change power relations. This type of
discussion of an ‘embodiment’ is a theme often found in works of a more sociological nature
(Crossley, 2006; Evans, Davies, & Wright, 2004; Pickard, 2007; Oliver & Lalik, 2001). This
idea of embodiment is an alternative to a spiritual view, indeed, the body’s ‘unspeakable’
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aspect, or ineffability “has long been remarked upon by philosophers…consequently it is
something to be managed rather than resolved” (Cromby, 2011, p. 83).
Using the body to increase a sense of embodied self-awareness through movement practices
can be an aim of somatic movement practices, education or therapeutic techniques (Fogel,
2009). The use of Eastern Movement Disciplines (EMDs) to develop mindfulness is
described by Lu et al (2009). They talk of EMDs as embodying a “philosophy of mindfulness
which they teach through physical movement” (ibid, p. 356) and state that all address the
three core issues of philosophy, health and education. It is fairly contentious to lump together
so many disparate forms and practices into one category of ‘EMDs’, as they include “Yoga,
and Qi Gong…Eastern martial arts and Eastern meditations” (ibid). Even within one form of
movement discipline there may be many schools, views and allegiances. The fragmentary
nature of the history of just one field, somatics, is addressed by Johnson (1995). Such
divisions have contributed to the underground nature of this work as each school or form has
a tendency to use different language to describe the work they do. Within the educational and
therapeutic fields there is a move towards an integration of somatics under the umbrella of the
International Somatic Movement Educators and Therapists Association. These differences
may have lead people to believe that their own practice is different from others’, with a
different intention behind it, rather than viewing it as an alternative means of reconnecting
with their body.
4.6.1 PERCEPTIONS OF BODIES AND MOVEMENT
Perceptions of our bodies can change depending on our context (Brown et al, 2010), or
habitus (Bourdieu, 1990). Duncan (2007) explores six ‘bodies’ of knowledge that inform
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perceptions of bodies; the imagined body, the consumer body, the transgressive body, the
disciplined body, the practiced body and the discursive body. The imagined body is described
as the body image that an individual holds, the external perception of a body “how our own
bodies look to others” (Duncan, 2007, p. 56). This imagined body is seen by a “panoptic
gaze, a kind of self-surveillance, in which a woman or girl regards her body through the eyes
of others...Are her clothes too tight? Do they make her thighs look big?” (Duncan, 2007, p.
57). This inner gaze that encourages a surveying, “with degrees of distress, their own bodies
for signs of abnormality against an unrealistic image” (Markula & Pringle, 2006, p. 43) is a
long way from the non-judgemental and compassionate inner witness developed through
somatic practices such as Authentic Movement (Adler, 2002), yoga (Rosen, 2002) or mindful
psychotherapy (Weiss, 2009).
Secondly, the consumer body refers to the body that consumes through purchases, or sport
(through identification with a team, or for one who identifies as an athlete through
participation at a health club) and views their body as an object to be altered through
consumption of exercise, diet or surgery to meet a desired ‘ideal’ outcome.
The transgressive body and the disciplined body are described as two sides of the same coin.
The transgressive body is one that “deviates from the social norm and defies social
expectations. Some examples include the pierced and tattooed body, the disabled body, the
hypermuscular body” (Duncan, 2007, p. 60). Whereas the disciplined body is one subjected
to disciplines such as exercise and dieting, or one that has been medicalised or where the body
is the object and target of power (Markula & Pringle, 2006). Duncan links the disciplined
body to the moral imperative, to a body that adheres to ‘good’ behaviour. These definitions
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and identification with ‘good and ‘bad’ raise questions about where a body would fit if it
overlaps between these two domains, for example the disabled athlete who adheres to a strict
training regime or diet, or the tattooed dancer who does the same. This theme has been
explored within physical education research (Dyck & Archetti, 2003). Certain types of dance
also raise a separate issue, for although it would surely fall into the disciplined body category,
many practices within dance can be injurious, and the individual following them would
almost inevitably fall outside of the social norm, thereby crossing into the transgressive body
domain.
The practised body is identified with a skilled athlete, one who rehearses movement
sequences again and again. Duncan highlights the importance of social practices within this
structure, and gives an example of becoming adept at the Korean martial art Tae Kwon Do,
where a critical part is the learning of the correct social code of discipline, strength, and selfconfidence that comes from being part of a group. For many, “mastery of the body is second
to the social benefits of the martial arts” (Duncan, 2007, p. 62). This could be interpreted as
exercise being used as a social practice to control and transform the individual, and to bend
them to the will of authority. Tae Kwon Do is particularly hierarchical, as are many martial
arts (Delamont, 2006; James & Jones, 1987). Other sports, for example gymnastics and
football also have hierarchical elements in their talent development systems (Bailey & Toms,
2010). How would this theory relate to other practices that require skilled movement and a
‘practiced body’ but that are not in their nature so dogmatic?
Lastly, the discursive body is the body evoked in language. Once again, the language used by
Duncan is that used to objectify the body, as the examples of the medicalisation, and reactions
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to obesity are used (Duncan, 2007). This can be compared with the language used in
Authentic Movement and somatic forms to express the experiences of the body (Adler, 2002;
Da'Oud, 1995). The importance of language cannot be underestimated, as it is a vital element
in our understanding and experience of our bodies.
“Our understandings of these things are embedded in our words, not separate from
them. In a real sense language is constitutive; there is no reality that stands apart from
it, nor is language merely a reflection of the actual thing...For this reason words have
power.” (Duncan, 2007, pp. 62 - 63)
There are different discourses regarding perceptions of the physical body and identity within
the context of physical education, sport and dance. One such discourse is the negotiation of
the male identity in regard of men whose previous experience of sport was more traditional,
as discussed by Wellard (2006), as he explored the attitudes of male physical education
degree students who took part in a dance group. Although somatic movement is not dance, it
may share more characteristics with dance than with more traditional games-based physical
education, and as such may elicit similar responses from those whose prior experience was
only in traditional sport. Initially the men in Wellard’s study viewed dance to be outside of
their definitions of sport and ‘girly’, however within the context of physical education they
were aware of its value for both boys and girls; even if it was seen as “an enticement for those
non-sporting types to take part in sport” (ibid, p. 6). In sport, the body plays a “central role in
determining who the participants should be” (ibid, p. 109), and this relates to social normative
codes and requirements.
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By introducing an emphasis on embodied self-awareness and a non-judgemental acceptance
of the body as in somatic movement education (SME), it may be possible for a child (or adult)
to develop an understanding of their own body as it relates to the world, rather than a view of
a gendered and socially constructed body. Body theory has been described as being
disembodied and masculinist (Sparkes & Smith, 2002). But are there differences between
how a ‘sports’ man, and one practised in a somatic movement form perceives their body? Are
there further differences between female and male ‘sports’ people and somatic movement
practitioners? Are there cross-over activities that encourage a more ‘feminine’ or embodied
body view?
In a discussion of masculinity, gender and the construction of men’s sporting identities,
Wellard seeks to “provide evidence of the way in which early experience of sport contribute
to the formation of individual sporting identities” (Wellard, 2006, p. 111). He does this with
an emphasis on the gendered masculine body. Where prowess in sport, and bodily strength
attract the most cultural capital, one participant found “his body was a major source of
humiliation as he felt unable to compete physically” (ibid, p. 112). Within SME, there should
be no competition with peers. In practice, establishing a non-competitive atmosphere can be
challenging.
In this study I wanted the children to elucidate how they felt about and viewed their bodies.
Within the sessions with the children in the study, the children were able to feel that all their
experiences were valid: “no-one can tell you what to do and that, you can do whatever you
want to do, really” (C. Year 4). Without an emphasis on strength, or other form of bodily
prowess attracting capital, the children were “free to have different experiences” (Reflective
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Journal). When moving, there were no significant differences in preferred movement patterns
between the boys and the girls. Both genders enjoyed the more acrobatic sessions on
balancing, locomoting and the like.
In contrast to this similarity of experience between genders, Bailey et al (2005) found that
girls’ participation in physical activities and sport show differing patterns and influences. The
report was in response to concerns that girls have lower participation in sport and physical
activity in school, and then later on in life. Young girls may be able to take part and enjoy
sport as children, but the onset of puberty “creates problems in terms of the social
understanding of their bodies, which effectively precludes them from taking part” (Wellard,
2006, p. 113). Recommendations were made to implement strategies that built upon
enjoyment, feelings of fun, and to “listen to voices from outside mainstream sports, for
example, dance, mixed ability, non-competitive and co-operative activities” (ibid, p. 10). If,
as suggested “recognition of the individual experience of the body has often been
overlooked”, and there is the “potential for the individual to be exposed to negative emotional
experiences of shame and bodily embarrassment” (p. 18), then it seems that experience of
activities and forms of moving which are not goal or ability orientated but are instead focused
on an experience of the moving self, such as SME, would help to combat negative
experiences of physical education and school sport.
With respect to adolescent girls, Oliver and Lalik (2001) discuss the normalisation of societal
acceptance of girls’ anxieties over their bodies. The adults involved with physical education
and the view of the body within educational curricula “often objectify the body, constructing
it as an object to be controlled or manipulated” (ibid, p304), rather than acting as sources of
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support and comfort, to aid girls resisting harmful attitudes and behaviours. Selfobjectification of women was shown to decrease in those that practised yoga as opposed to
those who did not exercise or practised aerobic exercise (Daubenmier, 2005). In addition,
yoga practitioners showed a greater satisfaction with physical appearance, and fewer
disordered eating attitudes, along with a greater awareness of and responsiveness to the body.
These findings were thought to be as a result of the mind/body focus that exists in yoga,
differentiating it from a purely body orientated exercise. It was suggested that an increasing
sensitivity to the awareness of bodily sensations as encouraged through yoga classes
minimised self-objectification and its negative effects on body image and eating disorders.
The oldest girls in my study were 11, and on the verge of puberty. Developing a more
positive relationship with the body through somatic movement and an increased embodied
self-awareness may ‘protect’ them from the self-objectification and negative self-perception
common in adolescent girls.
Whilst discussing embodied reflexive practices in young ballet dancers, Wellard, Pickard and
Bailey (2007) talk of how the “bodily pleasures experienced through sporting activity have to
be managed within a social understanding” (ibid, p. 81), and this would include how
individuals experience their bodies differently, and for some, such pleasures may be through
practices that include discipline, hard work, or pain (Pickard, 2007). They equate the dancer’s
body to the disciplined body as described above, and although they talk of embodied reflexive
practices and processes where the “body is contemplated” (Wellard et al, 2007, p. 81). They
also refer to dance as being ‘performed’, and use language that dissociates the body to some
extent, for example “the possession of specific physical characteristics” (ibid, p. 82), or the
interviewer referring to certain areas of the body that “are a problem” (ibid). A somatic
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movement approach stands in contrast, where ownership of the body and the self is
emphasised, along with an accepting and non-judgemental attitude. It could be argued that
dance is for performance, for the external appreciation of an art form whereas somatic
movement is for the personal experience. Wellard et al (2007) talk of the importance of the
embodied experience, and how it felt for the dancer to move, and their pleasure in the dance
as a vital factor to understand their continued participation. They quote a dancer as saying “it
is a beautiful experience…a way of expressing myself” (p. 83). The language used around
some forms of dance, such as ballet, does not always seem to allow for a truly embodied and
holistic experience of the body as it is caught up with the socially constructed ideal of what a
body is and should do within the context of the dance, which historically has had to conform
to a physiological ideal (Sparger, 1949). This may help to explain why “in comparison to
non-dancers, many dancers tend to have low self-esteem and can be preoccupied with body
shape and image” (Pickard, 2006, p. 2). It may be that perceptions of what ‘dance’ itself is or
means to an individual is relevant. In this study, one girl in Year 4 expressed her feelings
about how she used her body (see Fig. 9). To her, dance was an integral part of moving.
The explicit focus of the work was on the physical moving body, but never excluded the
language, thoughts or feelings that were associated with them. Within sessions I asked them
specific, open questions about their experiences, for example, “what do you think is inside
you?”, or, “why do we move?” One child answered: “we move our legs to walk in line, we
use our eyes to look, we use our mouths to talk, we use our hands to pick up things” (K. Year
5).
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FIGURE 9 WE USE ARE (SIC) BODY TO MOVE AND DANCE
FIGURE 10 A. WHAT AND WHY WE MOVE
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I noted down responses in my field observations, and collected what they had written or
drawn. In the interviews, however, I deliberately chose to use open language and questions
that would not lead them towards one type of answer. Within the sessions I did not talk to the
children about health and exercise generally. However, health, and the need for health, along
with the ‘good-ness’ of exercise was one aspect that was associated with the body by some.
This tendency of children to identify fitness and movement in terms of both intrinsic
(enjoyment) and extrinsic (health) benefits was found by Dismore and Bailey (2010), and has
been a recurring theme in physical education literature.
“Me: What do you remember most about the stuff that we did?
C:
I can remember the yoga that we done.
Me:
What do you remember about the yoga?
C:
We done lots of stretches and lots of poses.
Me:
Yes? What was that like?
C:
That was really good, stretching our muscles and get them healthy again.
Me:
Did you like doing the stretching?
C:
Yes.
Me:
What did you like about that?
C:
Just the feeling of getting more health into your bones and stuff.” (C. Year 4)
“Me : What do you wish we'd done more of?
E.:
More of that stretching stuff.
Me:
What did you like about the stretching stuff?
E.:
I thought it was good for me because I thought my body would get more
exercise.
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Me:
Is it good to get exercise?
E.:
Yeah.
Me:
Why is it good to get exercise?
E:
So your body can keep on going and not get low– like your fuel doesn't go low
and lower, you want it to go high and higher.
Me:
Okay. And does stretching do that for you then?
E.:
Yes. Because I always go to my auntie’s and we walk from home.
Me:
Wow, that's a long walk, isn't it?
E.:
Yeah.” (E. Year 2)
“Me: Why did you draw a picture of you running?
K.:
Because I would draw a picture of running because I would be more fittable
and lose weight.
Me:
Do you like running?
K:
Yes.” (K. Year 2)
K. wrote further about moving in one of the sessions. She again mentioned fitness, as well as
conflating the need to move with being alive. Movement (along with respiration, sensitivity,
growth, reproduction, excretion and nutrition) is one of the seven signs of life: “we move
because if we dident we woud not be alive and we woudent be fit ever (sic)” (K. Year 2). K.
went on to link moving with a variety of emotions “sometimes we fill (sic) happy sad cross
when we move” (K. Year 2).
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FIGURE 11 K. RUNNING
Other children also chose to draw and write about their perceptions of moving. T. (Year 5)
equated movement with an instinctual quality that we have from birth “you can’t stop moving
because that how your born (sic).” She illustrated her reflections with types of movements,
possibly answering the question of what, and why she should move her body.
In answer to the same question, ‘why, how and what do we move?’, D. wrote that “we move
so we can do stuff and feel. We move so we can swim we you’s are arms and legs to swim
(sic)” (D. Year 3). For D., movement is about doing and feeling. At the time he wrote this he
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had recently started swimming lessons, and been in a pool for the first time. He had begun to
experience his moving body in a new environment.
FIGURE 12 K. WHY WE MOVE
As part of her reflections on moving, E. differentiated her body into moving parts; her feet,
her eyes, her hands and her lips. She identified movements that each part was associated with
(walking, running, blinking, seeing, clapping, picking up and putting down, talking, shouting
etc.). Interestingly, she wrote that “we move are (sic) eyes to…go to sleep” (E. Year 5). For
her, sleeping may be equated to shutting her eyes rather than a change in consciousness. E.
also wrote that “different moves can be use when we are happy, sad, exited shy and lots more
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(sic)” (E. Year 5). The implication is that we use movement or moves to express our feelings
deliberately, rather than we are moved by our feelings.
FIGURE 13 T. WHY, WHAT AND HOW WE MOVE
FIGURE 14 D. WE MOVE SO WE CAN...
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FIGURE 15 E. DIFFERENT MOVES
Within the sessions we used various ways of ‘seeing’ our bodies as well as showing them.
One week they used pipe-cleaners to make pipe-cleaner people into shapes, and then make
and show those shapes with their own bodies. The idea behind this was to link the external
image of the body with the internal sensations. Using different forms of materials to relate the
expression of movement with the ‘grounded’ movement experience is a technique used in
Authentic Movement (Adler, 2002). Methodologically, using different materials increases
engagement and facilitates expression from participants (Punch, 2002). I asked the children
in the interviews what they thought of the approach of using pipe-cleaner models in this way.
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“Me: How is making the model and then trying to be the model with your own
body?
CH.:
It’s pretty fun because you do whatever you want, no-one can tell you what to
do and that, you can do whatever you want to do, really.” (CH. Year 4)
FIGURE 16 CH.'s PIPE-CLEANER MODEL
In general the children chose to make shapes that were physically possible and achievable,
although some chose to stretch the limits of what they could do.
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“Me: How was it to make them into shapes and then to find that shape with your
own body?
C:
It was fun because like you could experiment, like what your body could do
and then you could make it into like a little person.” (C. Year 6)
FIGURE 17 C.'S PIPE-CLEANER MODEL
Although most of the children enjoyed this activity at the time, and some spoke about it as
one of the things they remembered most, not all found it easy to ‘see’ or have an awareness of
their body while making pipe-cleaner people or drawing.
“Me: And what did it feel like when you drew pictures of you doing stuff?
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EM.: A bit nervous because I didn't know what I looked like because I didn't have a
mirror to look in.
Me:
Do you need a mirror to see what you look like?
EM.:. Yes.
Me:
Why do you need a mirror to see what you look like?
EM.:
Because my eyes can't go on my hands so I can see.” (EM. Year 2)
This idea of not being able to ‘see’ your own body, except when it is in pain or threatened or
otherwise suddenly brought into consciousness is discussed by Leder (1990) and is described
as in part due to “the body’s own tendency toward self-concealment” (p. 69). By this he
means that the visceral organic nature and senses of the body fade into the background when
compared to a more ‘engaging’ verbal consciousness. He cites the example of his awareness
of his legs disappearing as he sits and reads a book as his mind becomes engaged with the
information. For him, and maybe for many people, the body tends to fade into the
background. By increasing levels of embodied self-awareness and proprioception (i.e. the
sense of their body in space when still and locomoting) through practices such as somatic
movement education, yoga and Authentic Movement, it is possible to have one’s body as part
of continued consciousness, to build a sense of ‘knowing’ about what it is feeling,
experiencing and where it is in space. In Authentic Movement, this is practiced through
‘tracking’ movement and sensation. One convention of the form is to share movement
experiences or ‘pools’ in the present tense. For example:
I sit writing and thinking, and I am aware of my left-leg folded up underneath my right
sitting bone, the toes of my left-foot extended and pressing against the arch and top of
my right-foot. My weight is balancing mainly through my left-hip and I balance my
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computer on the outer-side of my right-leg. I am aware that this unevenness in posture
will mean that soon I will stretch and shift my body to find another shape in which to
work. For me, engagement in one activity does not necessarily equate to the
disappearance of my body nor a sense of disembodiment. I focus on this task of
writing whilst I remain present to my body and the environment in which I find
myself, which includes the sounds of my children playing a make-believe game.
(Reflective Writing)
Leder postulates that whilst an individual learns a new physical activity “the problematic
nature of these novel gestures tends to provoke explicit body awareness” (Leder, 1990, p. 31).
This fits well with the view that teaching embodiment can be achieved through activities
where the body is moved and experienced in new ways such as somatic movement or yoga.
For example, some children found it easier to feel their bodies when they moved, or stretched.
“Me: And you’ve written: “When I stretched, I felt in my back and my legs, when
you stretch you don’t hurt other people, we stretch so we don’t pull our bones
out when we do stuff.” And this is all about feelings and stretching, “when
somebody is mentally stretched they can be angry or sad or really excited.
When somebody is...” ...What does it say?
C.:
Is physically.
Me:
“Physically stretched, they look like they go red in the face. I feel more
stretched in my legs and my arms”
C.:
I put the red in the face bit as a joke.” (C. Year 6)
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Another girl, A., said “I learnt that don’t, like, push your body too much because it can hurt
you. And like you’ve always got to stretch before you do like the...like when you do the
handstands and all that, because if you don’t stretch you can really hurt yourself.” The idea of
taking care of her body so that she could use it in the ways she wanted to (in this case to
balance or to do handstands) was something that she related to. For C. the awareness of what
her body was feeling, and how she could choose her movements to take care of herself and so
not cause herself pain is contrary to Leder’s perception that “a trained yogi can learn to ignore
pain entirely and suppress reflexive motor responses. But the powerful distractions, training
or strength of will necessary to resist pain’s call bear testimony to its original strength”
(Leder, 1990, p. 73). I disagree with this view that yoga would train someone to ignore,
suppress and resist one’s body’s responses to pain or any other body sensation. On the
contrary, yoga is a means to accept the body as it is in any given moment (Yee & Zolotow,
2002). Yoga is practiced, it is not something in which you train (Pattabhi Jois, 1999). A
small distinction, but one that I believe is important as it differentiates yogis from athletes.
Other SME forms use different verbs to describe their forms– for example some say that tai
chi is played (www.taichiflow.org, 2003).
The children’s perceptions of their moving bodies were grounded in their physical
experiences. Through movement, writing, sharing and modelling, they were able to reflect on
the sensations of their bodies, and begin to conceptualise these perceptions. The nonjudgemental and accepting ethos of the sensations encouraged the children to experience their
moving bodies without judgement. This may allow them to form a more positive relationship
with their body that is based on their experience of it, rather than becoming more dissociated
from their own bodies and being informed by cultural or societal norms. By increasing
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embodied self-awareness, and developing their proprioception, they were also beginning to
learn and identify these sensations as feelings, such as ‘stretch’ or ‘pain’, as well as becoming
open to the emotions and images that could be evoked by movement. The next section
considers emotion and the body, and the children’s experiences of their emotions in and
through their bodies.
4.6.2 EXPRESSING AND RECOGNISING EMOTION
Movement can have emotional content, and it is the expression of this content that may form a
basis for somatic education and therapy (Johnson, 1995): “emotion…motivates memory,
perception, thought and action” (Chodrow, 2009, p. 56). Body movement and gesture can be
used to decode emotions (Montepare et al, 1999). Movements, however, do not always have
to be large. Expressive movements can be tiny, subtle gestures of the body (Hartley, 2004),
and of the face. Emotions, in turn, “are not states of being but dynamic phenomena that are
experienced in the flesh” (Sheets-Johnstone, 2010, p. 124). Experiences and expressions of
emotions have been linked to health: “emotions have been implicated in the etiology of
coronary and cardiovascular disease, shown to impact on the workings of the immune system
and to modulate multiple pathways and dynamics relevant to disease and ill health” (Cromby,
2011, p. 89). However, it is possible to have emotions, and yet be unaware of them.
Although, “it may seem odd to suggest that physical education is the appropriate arena within
which to help people cultivate emotional and spiritual self-awareness…emotions and spiritual
states are fundamentally physical events in the body, and a physical approach to selfawareness training offers a method of making this area of practice more tangible and
concrete” (Linden, 1994, p. 4). The experience of emotions has been described as bodily
changes, a feeling, a felt action tendency, facial expressions, the level of autonomic arousal,
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evaluative cognition, cognitive appraisals of the situation or bodily changes juxtaposed to an
image of what caused the emotion (Lambie & Marcel, 2002). Totton states that emotional
memories are stored within the body, and that they “appear as feelings, not as memories of
feelings” (2003, p. 38). Emotions are not simple phenomena, when experienced or expressed:
“emotions…implicate narrative, intentionality, appraisal, morality, and identity, but all
typically include a marked somatic or corporeal component and this is what is meant by
emotional feelings: the clenched gut of fear, the heavy body of sadness, the burning face of
shame and so on” (Cromby, 2011, pp. 88 - 9).
The use of the body and facial expressions to show emotion was something that was noted by
the children in Phase 3 of this study “I've learnt how different people use their different
emotions by showing it with their body and their face” (E. Year 5), although not all found it
easy to show their emotions that way: “it was harder to pull a (sic) expression of your feeling”
(D. Year 5); “it feels hard to show some body (sic) how you feel when you stretch” (A. Year
6).
If experience of emotions is a combination of appraisal dimensions, felt action urges and
bodily sensations (Lambie & Marcel, 2002), then one aspect to how an individual perceives
their and other’s emotions is how aware they are of all these components. For example,
bodily feelings might include an awareness of changes in, and the quality of, the breath, the
heartbeat, muscle tension or holding, sweating, sensations in the stomach or another part of
the body, and temperature. An individual needs to have an awareness of herself in order to
experience her own physical state, and to bring it into consciousness before she can be fully
receptive to others: “feelings of all kinds are experienced and expressed in accord with
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acquired norms of using, holding and relating to the body” (Cromby, 2011, p. 86).
Similarities in movement, or perhaps recognising another’s movements as a pattern of
expression could result in a sense of common humanity, or increased empathy (SheetsJohnstone, 2010, p. 112). As self-awareness increases and norms change, the ability to
empathise with others also changes: “because I wouldn't have known what would have made
them really excited but I would now” (MI. Year 6).
Empathy is not always understood to be connected to movement. In fact “the common
understanding of empathy…is grounded in static images” (Sheets-Johnstone, 2010, p. 115).
Empathy is developed as a child grows and plays games of pretence with others, which is a
key developmental stage necessary for learning to recognise the mental states of others,
develops a theory of mind and learns to be able to engage in the social interactions that form
part of society (Keys & Bailey, 2006). Absence of pretend play, and later absence of
empathy, are markers for developmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder
(Bailey, 2002b). The ability to recognise what others are feeling, and then to be able to
empathise, can be ascribed to the theory of mirror neurons (Christodoulou & Gabb, 2009;
Gallese & Goldman, 1998). Mirror neurons are posited to be responsible for ‘mind-reading’
or empathic feelings, as they “respond both when a particular action is performed…and when
the same action performed by another individual is observed” (ibid p 495). This theory
concerns recognising and empathising with movement, and not static images. Although
Gallese and Goldman conducted their initial research on monkeys, their theories do appear to
have significance for humans, and have implications for education (Goswami, 2008). Totton
states that “Merleau-Ponty would no doubt have seized eagerly upon the concept…to
underpin the notion of inherent bodily knowledge of the world” (2009, p. 195). Gallese and
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Goldman propose that “one possible function [of mirror neurons] could be to promote
learning by imitation” (ibid p 495), and I suggest that the same mechanism is used when a
Witness tracks movement in Movers in the form of Authentic Movement (Adler, 2002).
Within that form, it is recognised that practise and experience at tracking your own movement
increases your ability to track that of others. A way to practice tracking movement and
kinaesthetic sensation is to increase embodied self-awareness. This would imply, then, that
by increasing embodied self-awareness, it is possible to learn to activate mirror neuron
function. Some of the children in the study found it naturally easy to ‘read’ others’ emotions
from their movements and faces, like K. “you can tell if someone is scheching and it herts by
there fason expreshons (sic)”, and L. “very easy if you look carefully at other people”,
whereas others seemed to need to practice and learn.
FIGURE 18 L. "VERY EASY IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY…”
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M. recognised the effort that her partner put into showing his emotions. “It was realy (sic)
easy to tell D.’s emotions, he put a lot of effort into it”. M. was also clear about which
emotions she enjoyed seeing “I like seeing peoples (sic) emotions if they are happy”. M.
implied that she did not enjoy seeing other people’s emotions if they were not positive, which,
if related to the idea of mirror neurons, could be because she did not enjoy the feelings that
were evoked in her own body as a result.
FIGURE 19 M "I LIKE SEEING PEOPLES EMOTIONS..."
Her partner, D., did not find it as easy to show his emotions, nor to see his partner’s: “it was
more easyier to take a photo than pulling a espression…It was harder to pull a espression of
your feeling…It was very hard to see what someone else was (sic)”
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FIGURE 20 D. "IT WAS MORE EASYIER TO TAKE A PHOTO..."
When referring to emotions, it is possible to be detached from them, and talk or write about
them as separate bodily functions, or as experiences of the whole somatic body (Lambie &
Marcel, 2002). Lambie and Marcel report that non-Westerners have a more somatic
experience of feelings like depression than Westerners. For example, Chinese people are
more likely to describe their experiences of fear, anxiety and sadness in terms of bodily
sensations than North Americans who would be more likely to use terms relating to thoughts
or mental feelings (ibid). Many westerners are aware of their bodily sensations that are part
of an emotion, although they do not perceive them to be part of that emotion (ibid). The
language that is used to express emotions is important to the conceptualising of emotional
experiences.
Within the sessions I encouraged the children to relate their emotional experiences and
awareness to the physical and moving sensations of the body. This was in order to ‘ground’
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the emotions. By ‘ground’ I mean that the emotions are, when possible, associated with a
particular movement or sensation within the body, and so remain tangible and ‘real’, and as
such it may be easier to express them through language: “emotion and feeling are being
treated neither as wholly biological nor as simple manifestations of language” (Cromby, 2011,
p. 82). This method is working within the framework of Authentic Movement, where the
moving experience (of emotions, sensations or images) is expressed through language both
verbally and written (Adler, 2002). The idea of how they felt when they moved particular
parts of their bodies, and where they felt it was also explored. Some of the children chose to
draw where they felt their bodies as they moved.
FIGURE 21 "I FELT IT THERE"
One girl chose to write instead about what she did when she felt sad, rather than how she
moved or where she felt it: “when I’m sad I go to my bedroom and cry lots, and lots. If I’m at
school I usely (sic) keep my sadness inside me, not many things cheer me up just my animals”
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(ML. Year 6). This extract came from the session on self-regulation, where we looked at
what things made us feel happy in a way that could be seen physically (e.g. eyes shining, shift
in facial expressions and posture). Although the instructions for the task had been to think
about things that we do that make us happy; excluding people and animals (as ideally
happiness should not be dependent on others), this particular child said that nothing in her life
made her happy except for her cats. As I talked to her, and she described how they also
walked away from her when she was sad, she became more upset. This is one reason why the
task was to find actions that we do to regulate our emotions, so we become more self-reliant
and are not basing our happiness on others’ actions. Within a therapaeutic setting this is
something I would have liked to explore with this girl, so that she could begin to find and
recognise emotional states other than sadness. However, in the classroom setting there was
only room to reassure her as best I could, and to regularly check on her in this, and future
sessions, and talk to her teacher.
Another exercise explored was the recognising of the range of emotions that we feel. The
children were given time to come up with a list of emotions and feelings that they had. This
exercise was explored with the younger and the older children, as this piece from a child in
Year 3 demonstrates (see Figure 22).
To illustrate this, an extract from my field notes describes how one child, E. (Year 1),
experienced moving through emotions.
“I asked them to move softly– and to think about if it was different to slowly. Many
were now up on their mats (staying on their mats) but now some chose to remain
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seated. E. said that softly was different because it was calmer. She had been lying
down, stretching, rolling and twisting her body.
I asked them how they were feeling (happy) and asked if they could move happily–
very bouncy– lots of jumps (still on the mat). Then sad, E.’s whole body slumped and
withdrew into the centre, head forward, slouch down, face passive.” (Field Notes,
class 1)
FIGURE 22 J.'S RANGE OF EMOTIONS
After moving, the children were invited to draw. E., the child described above chose to
express her emotion and movement through drawing ‘angry’.
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FIGURE 23 E. DRAWING ‘ANGRY’
The older children wrote about how they might move when feeling certain emotions, before
exploring this with their bodies:
FIGURE 24 HOW E. MIGHT MOVE WHEN FEELING EMOTIONS
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Here, EL. (Year 5) chose to separate her emotions into two columns she perceived to be
positive and negative. She also chose to identify how she felt when she stretched with the
positive emotions.
FIGURE 25 EMOTIONS AND HOW EL. FELT
P. (Year 6), chose to draw how he might express various emotional states. Some he has felt
are expressed through facial expressions only, and others such as lost, sleepy and thinking
used the whole body (see Figure 26).
Several of the groups chose to write and draw about emotions in the posters they created for
display: how they showed them, and how they shared and perceived them. As they were
allowed to choose any aspect of the work they had explored over the past two years, this
could have indicated the value that they placed on exploring and identifying emotions in
themselves and in others, and the importance they placed on sharing this with their peers
“emotions and feelings can be treated as elements of embodied process that feed into and
through social interaction” (Cromby, 2011, p. 87). It may have been because this was one of
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the more recent areas that had been explored, however, the sessions also covered movement
and yoga asanas each week.
FIGURE 26 P.'S EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS
The children in the study showed a variety of emotions through movement and expression.
They felt able to share their experiences both verbally and through reflective drawing and
writing. Within the sessions, as well as becoming more familiar with the ways in which they
and their peers demonstrated their emotions, they related the work to drama exercises, in that
they were able to portray a character’s emotion through their body. The children utilised
awareness and sensitivity to pay attention to their own emotional state, and to pick up on
others’. This was particularly important when we were working with the theme of ‘stretch’,
and in pair and group work, when each child had to be responsible for their own safety, and
that of their friends’.
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FIGURE 27 POSTER SHOWING EMOTIONS
4.6.3 EXPERIENCING ‘STRETCH’ AND ‘PAIN’
The idea of ‘stretch’ was explored with all the children, most deeply with the older ones in
phase 3 of the study. Stretching, and what it feels like, was an accessible way to initiate
awareness of the body sensations. Stretch, as something that we do with our bodies, how it
feels, why we might do it, and how we do it along with discussions on how else we might feel
stretched in our lives– financially, emotionally, or mentally. This was a concept that the
children were happy to talk about on a one-to-one basis, or within a circle, but chose not to
journal or write about. Instead, they recorded how they felt about stretch (as a concept), or
where they felt stretched.
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FIGURE 28 "I HEART STRETCH"
FIGURE 29 P. "I FELT IT STRETCH IN MY LEGS"
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Recognising how someone else might feel when they are being stretched (in any sense of the
word) was also something that was explored. The children worked on their own and with
partners to investigate how they could be careful with themselves and each other.
FIGURE 30 "I KNOW WHEN SOMEONE IS STRECHING (SIC)..."
The different types of pain and sensations that we feel in our bodies, particularly when we
stretch and move, was something that I encouraged awareness of throughout the study. Even
with the very youngest children I would ask them to be aware of what they felt, where they
felt it, and to be in control of how hard and how far they stretched. Stretching pain feels
different to strain pain in that it is entirely in your control– the more you stretch the more you
feel– and when you stop, the sensation stops (Devereux, 1998). Stretching pain can feel
good, particularly after the stretch. Strain pain, in contrast, feels like tearing or ripping, and
does not stop when you ease off. It is also possible to feel a sensation like pain that is more
shocking, for example when scar tissue around an old injury tears and begins to break down.
Although shocking, this sensation is not actually painful. Recognising these sensations and
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becoming aware of them formed a large part of the work, as was recognising that pain is not
always a ‘bad’ feeling, as it is a way for the body to bring to attention when something does
not feel right.
We explored the importance of taking care of our bodies, being aware of how it feels to
stretch so that individuals can take responsibility for their own stretching, and the children
began to journal about how they felt as they stretched:
“When I stretch for a realy long time it feels like my musols are working and it is fun
and I feel comfortable. This is me sctreching I am bending forward and doing dam the
dog [downward facing dog]… I love scheching I would be careful (sic).” (A. Year 5)
In her reflections, A. noted that she would be careful, that she could feel lots in her body and
that certain poses might hurt. She writes that you can tell if someone else is stretching by
their facial expressions, which implies, that when she worked with her partner she was aware
of the importance of paying close attention to them to avoid hurting them, as well as to pay
close attention to herself.
The concept of pain; physical, mental and emotional pain as well as other different types of
pain was explored explicitly within phase 3. One session took place during the planning stage
for the displays, whilst I was in a lot of physical pain due to a back injury. The previous day I
had been in class to read stories as part of Book Week, and one child, K. had become very
upset due to the death of her grandfather.
“I also had the idea of talking about pain, or other emotions which is very relevant to
me! It is also a feeling that can be physical, emotional, in the body or mind that fits in
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well with the exploratory theme of the work. I was less sure about this although it had
been my original idea given K.’s recent bereavement.” (Reflective Journal)
After discussing the idea with the class teacher, I chose to proceed with the session, albeit
carefully and sensitively.
FIGURE 31 A. "WHEN I STRETCH..."
The sensation of pain, and how we feel and experience it in our bodies is fundamental to how
we carry ourselves through life (Fogel, 2009). Asking the children to imagine how they
would be aware of pain if they tensed up and held themselves rigid, and the differences
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between that and breathing into and relaxing into a sensation was part of the yoga work
(Farhi, 2000). Yoga can be understood as exercises in learning how to breathe when in
uncomfortable situations and stretches, and to relax into them (Iyengar, 1966). The
techniques that are practised with the physical body can then be utilised when facing
uncomfortable or stretching situations in other areas of life.
The experiences of what it felt like to stretch– and how it felt– were memorable for some
children. E. differentiated between those that hurt and those that felt nice.
“Me: What do you remember most about all the stuff we did?
E:
All the stretch, the different kind of stretches we did.
Me:
Okay. Why do you remember those?
E:
Because we did a lot of them and I just remember how kind of sometimes it
hurted and sometimes it didn’t.
Me:
Okay. Did you like doing them?
E:
Yes.
Me:
Why?
E:
Some of them felt nice when you did them, so it’s nice to feel nice.
AA:
Okay. Even though they hurt, they still felt nice?
E:
Some of them hurt and some didn’t.” (E. Year 5)
The experience E. describes here is that of pain, or stretch, not necessarily being a negative
thing, similar, perhaps, to the young dancers that in Pickard’s study (2007). It may be that by
tuning into the sensation of ‘stretch’, ‘hurt’ or ‘pain’ E. was able to identify to a greater
degree with her embodied self, and differentiate what felt good and what didn’t and to remain
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in control of her body (i.e. by not pushing herself so much that she would injure herself).
Instead, she was able to tune into the enjoyable aspects of using her body, whilst remaining
sensitive to its needs.
The conflation of pain and pleasure was something that was experienced by children within
this study. One young boy talked about the two sensations when describing how he
remembered feeling in a stretch:
“Me: What do you remember about that?
J:
Very hard with my legs, very hard.
Me:
What was very hard about it?
J:
Just bend over like that, it really hurts my legs and all.
Me:
Did it? Did you like it or was it just too painful?
J:
Bit painful and a bit good.” (J Year 2)
The pain that he experienced was not a negative thing for him, in fact when asked what he
wished we’d done more of, he answered “the things that get painful for me”.
4.6.4 MOVEMENT AS FUN
The relationship between fun and physical education and activity has been a popular
association (Alerby, 2003; Bailey et al, 2010; Dismore & Bailey, 2010; Phillips & Stewart,
1992). One idea of pleasure and embodiment, and how this can be part of a programme for
children has been discussed by Wellard (2010). By drawing on the concept of body-reflexive
practices and body-reflexive pleasures that involve an individual and social context, fun and
enjoyment in sport are used to understand participation and reflection. Fun, or physical
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pleasure, is often overlooked as a reason for participation in sport in favour of motivations for
health, or other specific and outcome orientated outcomes. However, pleasure, and in some
cases the blurring of pleasure and pain (Pickard, 2007), are often cited by young participants
as their reason for taking part in an activity. Certainly, many of the children in this study used
the word “fun” to describe their experiences. The negotiating of the body through a physical
activity incorporating individual experiences of that activity with regard to the social and
personal context (which could include gender, age and ability) may also need to include the
social construct within which the individual finds herself. In addition to the social construct,
bodily-reflexive pleasures may also include the psychological and physiological experiences
and feelings, and it is the combination of these factors that would result in a positive
experience of an activity, or not. Exercise should be enjoyable to encourage participants to
continue, because how an individual feels about herself affects how she moves (Linden,
1998).
The distinctions between fun and enjoyment have been the subject of some debate. Fun can
mean different things to people of different ages. Generally, children use the word ‘fun’ to
describe their enjoyment of an activity, but it could also be “best explained as a positive mood
state associated with personal accomplishment and the ability to meet a challenge” (Dismore
& Bailey, 2010, p. 5), or as “a long-term intrinsic affect linked to movement participation that
is critical to physical education” (ibid), or be attributed to “skill improvement, participation,
taking control in lessons, playing games, interacting with peers and team affiliation” (ibid).
Understanding how attitudes are informed towards movement and physical education, and
how exactly children perceive it as ‘fun’ regardless of the precise definition of the term, is key
to encouraging participation over the long-term. Attitudes towards physical education are
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likely to be motivated by enjoyable experiences as well as variables such as gender and
achievement. The appreciation of the need to be physically active in the moment and
throughout life should be allied to personal satisfaction, enjoyment of participation and
mastery of skills and not just through “making children aware of the effects of exercise on
their bodies” (ibid p. 4). However, if by ‘aware’, it is meant that children are given the
opportunity and experiences to become more self-aware and attentive to how their bodies feel
as and when they move, then it might be that they begin to experience ‘flow’. ‘Flow’ has
been used as a concept to describe an inner experience that incorporates joy, creativity, total
involvement and an “exhilarating feeling of transcendence” (Dismore & Bailey, 2010, p. 4).
Reflections on an embodied, pleasant experience are used by Wellard (2010) as an example of
an individual decision to continue to participate within a sport. By creating a lived experience
‘bank’ of pleasurable moments, and being given the opportunity to reflect on them, a child
may choose to continue participation with physical activity; an outcome that is desired by the
physical educational curriculum, and for a lifelong interest in activity and sport. Physical
education then, could concentrate not on outcomes such as tacking obesity or talent
identification, but instead to provide opportunities for young people to experience activities
and find out when, where, and how they are pleasurable. In order for this to be successful
children (and adults) have to learn how to enjoy their bodies (Wellard, 2010). In this, as well
as the learning of what it is to reflect on experiences, somatic education or a somatic approach
towards physical activity can be useful.
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The idea of fun came up a lot both in the children’s work, and in their reflections. The nonjudgemental aspect and approach of the sessions, along with the experimental nature of the
material was appreciated by some of the children.
“It was fun because like you could experiment, like what your body could do.” (C.
Year 6)
“It was fun just to see...just to make what poses you can make.” (T. Year 4)
R. in Year 1, drew a picture with a figure saying “have fun…see you later”. He explained in
the session that he was saying that because he wanted to come back again soon to do more.
FIGURE 32 R. "HAVE FUN SEE YOU LATER"
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C. (Year 4) wrote “It’s pretty fun because you do whatever you want, no-one can tell you
what to do and that, you can do whatever you want to do, really.” She did not display through
her behaviour in the sessions that she was talking about a hedonistic sense of being allowed to
do whatever she wanted the entire time, but more that she was enjoying that no answers were
right or wrong, and an atmosphere of respect and exploration was encouraged.
Some of the children liked particular aspects or activities of the work, such as the playful
nature of it:
“It’s like different and then when you balance you can fall over. It’s fun.” (E. Year 5)
“Well, the activities we were doing to like show the heart and stuff like that was really
great.” (M. Year 6)
“Because when we do movement and activities, it made me happy because it was just
really fun that we were doing loads of stuff, poses, everything, and it made me a bit
calmer.” (T. Year 5)
Some of the children enjoyed the fact that they were participating in a movement session
rather than other working on other subjects “it was fun– got us out of maths and other work.
It was fun” (B. Year 6).
The co-operative element to the work was also described as fun.
“It’s a bit fun sharing my ideas.” (C. Year 4)
“The fun part was seeing everybody else.” (J. Year 3)
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“It was fun when we did that, because it was really just some certain people who were
just chosen and we worked in a group.” (T. Year 5, talking about Science Week)
“Doing it with someone else, also made it fun because like sometimes when I do
things on my own even if I’m making it up or something, I prefer it if I’m doing it
with someone else because then I have someone else to help me think about it as
well.” (S. Year 3)
For many of the children, the ‘fun’ aspect was the answer to the question about whether there
was anything else they wanted to say about the work at the end of the interview.
“It was really fun, all fun, there wasn’t any boring bits, I really enjoyed it.” (C. Year 6)
“It was really really fun doing…” (M. Year 6)
“Me: Why did you like it?
M
Because it was fun.” (M. Year 3)
“Me:
Is there anything else you want to say about the stuff that we did?
M.:
I found it very, very fun.
Me:
What was fun? What do you mean by fun?
M:
Everything.” (M. Year 6)
One girl was able to expand a little on what she meant by ‘fun’, and relate it to how she was
caught up in both the work, and how it felt to be engaged by it– similar to the idea of ‘flow’
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described above perhaps.
“S.:
It was fun. And exciting.
Me:
Fun and exciting. What was fun about it?
S.:
Well, I think it was fun because we did lots of things, lots of games and things
and our teacher made it very fun.
Me:
What was exciting about it?
S.:
Well, exciting-ness was really because, well, anyway, well we had like things
to do and sometimes- and making things up was exciting because you’re like,
hmm, what shall we do? Hmm, what shall we do? Hmm, what shall we do?”
(S. Year 3)
The children expressed their sense of fun and excitement for the work in the sessions, outside
of the sessions when they saw me in the school or playground, through their drawing, markmaking and writing and in the interviews. Some of the children enjoyed certain aspects more
than others, for example, handstands and balances were nearly almost always considered
‘fun’. Being still could be quite challenging at times, however, no child expressed to me or to
a teacher that they did not enjoy the sessions and did not want to join in. The playfulness of
the work may have contributed to this. The next sections look in more depth at certain
aspects of the sessions (being still and balancing) that many of the children found in turn
challenging and fun.
4.6.5 BEING STILL
Numerous traditions examine the importance of being still (Selby, 2003). Learning to
observe the breath, the body and the mind, to pay attention to oneself, and to become more
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aware of the self, are often the first steps in cellular breathing (Hartley, 1989), pranayama
(yoga breathing), shavasana (corpse pose) (Rosen, 2002), meditation (Ralston & Ralston,
2006) and mindfulness (Langer, 1989). The practice of being still in yoga is one aspect that
separates it from physical education and other physical activities (Phillips, 2001), although
many martial arts, such as budo, also incorporate stillness or meditation in their practice
(Stevens, 2001). Learning to take time to be still was an integral part of the sessions with the
children. Being still, often in mouse or child’s pose, was practised often in the sessions. We
usually began by being still for a minute, and finished in the same way, perhaps for a little
longer. It was one of the aspects that was remembered by the children in interviews.
“Me: What do you think you learnt?
A:
That if times are hard and that just to actually do a mouse pose or something to
help relax.” (A Year 5)
One girl, C. said ““It was very peaceful, it sort of felt like the minute was just going to keep
going.” However, it was more challenging for some:
“Me: Did you find it easy to be still?
E.:
No, not really.
Me:
Are you glad that you tried?
E:
Yeah.
Me:
Why?
E.:
Because I don't normally try and be still. It’s just you move around…” (E.
Year 5)
E. went on to describe how she used mouse pose to gain autonomy over her emotions.
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“Me: Is there anything else that you want to say about the stuff that we did?
E.:
And how to get calmer.
Me:
How to get calmer.
E.:
By doing mouse pose.
Me:
Is that something you'll remember?
E.
Yeah, yeah. Because if you're angry you can always do mouse pose to calm
you down.
Me:
It’s all right to feel angry as well but it’s good to be able to change how you
feel if you want to.” (E. Year 5)
E. can be seen here to be using her self-awareness to regulate her emotions. Self-awareness
has been shown to have a flexible relation to emotional intensity (Silvia, 2002).
Mouse pose, balasana (child’s pose), was often used for being still. Because the body is
orientated inwards, it can be easier to calm down and focus than in a supine position. The
image of being a mouse, hiding, quiet and still, also added to the playfulness of the activity,
allowing the children to engage with what they were doing. The children had different
experiences of mouse pose and of being still:
B. chose to draw his mouse pose, combining the ears and tail of a mouse, with the body shape
that he adopts when he is in the position. Other children talked about mouse pose in the
interviews:
“Me: Did you like mouse pose?
Ev.:
Yes.
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Me:
Why did you like mouse pose?
Ev.:
So you could be quiet.” (Ev Year 5)
“T.:
I remember the mouse pose most.
Me:
Did you like the mouse pose?
T.:
Yes.
Me:
Why did you like the mouse pose?
T.:
Because it was easy and simple.
Me:
Do you like things that are easy and simple?
T.:
Yes.” (T. Year 4)
FIGURE 33 B.'S MOUSE POSE
“Me: What do you remember doing?
R:
The curling up in a ball and all that.
Me:
Yes? Did you like curling up in a ball?
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R.:
No.
Me:
No, okay. Why didn’t you like it?
R:
Because it’s...dunno.” (R. Year 3)
FIGURE 34 IN THE MOUSE POSE IT’S EASIER TO RELAX
Taking time to be still can be challenging for adults (Devereux, 1998) as well as children. It
may be that it is not something that we take time for day-to-day. J. expressed his wish to do
more of it, and this sentiment was one that I had heard from the children throughout the
sessions. R. said that he did not like mouse pose, but did not explain why. The curled in
nature of the pose encourages an inner focus and concentration, however, it can also become a
little overwhelming if you are feeling unhappy or down, as it encourages quiet and
contemplation (Desikachar, 1995). R. had lost his mother when he was little, and it may be
that this pose was not the most appropriate for him. One week we explored different ways in
which we could be still; by standing, sitting, lying, on our own, with partners or in a group.
The children were asked to think about how they thought it would feel, try something, and
then share how it had been and if it had been the same or different from their initial
expectations. Within the sessions I asked the children how they thought it would be easiest to
be still, and they showed me with their bodies after being still for the minute. The majority of
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the class thought that sitting would be the easiest position in which to be still. After I timed
them for one minute being still whilst standing, in which I observed a lot more movement,
with their eyes remaining open and lots of fidgeting, the consensus was that it was “harder
than sitting” (Field Notes). The group then explored how it was to be still with a partner:
“Before, all the children except R. thought that it would be easier with a partner.
Room observed to be still. Afterwards all the children except for M. found it harder.
“if you wobble and your partner wobbles.” All pairs chose to sit down.
Children chose to play favourite shapes game. Some showed shapes to be still in,
most still ‘pictures’, 1 child (M.) moving shape.
Shapes included – lying on belly, circle, triangle, on back holding feet in air, triangle
shape, knot, a line (on the back) a rectangle, a star.” (Field Notes)
As he reflected about the sessions, and looked through his work, MI. (Year 6) commented:
“Me: This is all about finding shapes to be still. And you've written “when I'm
moving I can't see things. What I can see when I'm still. My brain I see is a
big grey colour”. And you've drawn a box and you've written “I feel stuck”.
And “I think the wood is like a maze. My brain is thinking a bug could be
there”. So you've written thoughts and drawn pictures about the thoughts that
you were having when you were still. That's what it looks like. Is that what it
was?
MI.:
Yeah, I think so.
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Me:
And you've drawn a line and put “standing still I feel like somebody’s touching
my leg. Another partner, it was relaxing to lean on the other person”. Do you
remember doing all of that?
MI.:
I remember some parts.
AA:
You remember some parts. Did you find it easy to be still?
MI.:
It depends what I was in the middle of doing. If I was in the middle of drawing
or writing a story, staying still, I couldn't stay still. But if I was doing
something quite boring what I didn't really want to do, sitting still would be
like quite relaxing to like just stop doing the tricky or boring thing.” (MI. Year
6)
FIGURE 35 SHAPES TO BE STILL
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FIGURE 36 M. "WHEN I AM MOVING I CAN'T SEE..."
How perception of senses changed when being still was something that another child also
commented on, although for him, it was hearing that was different. As well as stating that
when he was still he could hear, this child also commented that “it fellet wird (sic)”.
FIGURE 37 WHEN I AM STILL I CAN HERE (SIC)
Part of the work that MI. looked through and reflected on included another piece of writing
and drawing about being still whilst balancing, in which he wrote, “it is comfortable and not
comfortable.”
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The children were only asked to stay still for a minute initially, although with some groups,
this was built up to five minutes. Being still was a challenge for some children though. JA.,
in Year 3, remembered this:
“Me:
Was that easy, staying still for one minute?
JA.:
No.
Me:
No? Why not? Do you spend much time being still? No? Did it get easier
being still or harder?
JA.:
Harder.
Me:
Harder? We did some of that every week, didn’t we? Did you like being still?
JA.:
Yes.
Me:
Yes? So even though it was hard, you liked it? Why? You’re not sure? No?”
(JA. Year 2)
Another slightly older boy, in Year 3, spoke about being still when looking through his work.
“Me: And this was finding places to be still.
J.:
I remember that as well actually.
Me:
Yeah? What do you remember about it?
J.:
We had to stay still and stuff and then we had to try and stay still for a long
time and then we would stop and then do some more yoga I think.
Me:
And was it easy to be still, or was it hard to be still?
J.:
It’s quite hard really.
Me:
Is it something you do a lot, being still?
J.:
No.
Me:
Is it something you would like to do more of?
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J.:
Yeah.” (J. Year 3)
Other children reflected on their experiences of being still:
“I feel happy and relaxed because I enjoyed it, not nervous. I felt happy” (A. Year 6).
“Very quiet– hard because I’m used to some noise, felt like I was going to be asleep.
Got easier over the weeks– nice to relax. Everyone’s normally shouting in class” (W.
Year 6).
The youngest children, aged 4-5, shared the following thoughts on the idea of being still:
“Is blinking still?” (J. Reception)
“You’re still if you are dead.” (F. Reception)
“But your heart is always beating.” (A. Reception)
The idea that your body is always moving internally resonates strongly with the idea of
cellular breathing, and experiential anatomy, that is, our body as living, moving organs. I
asked whether you could still your mind, and they gave mixed responses.
Being still is an integral part of yoga and other somatic movement practices (Farhi, 2000)
(Johnson, 1995). As such, the children were given time to be still in every session, and were
allowed to explore the ways in which they preferred to do this, and to share how it made them
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feel. This practice led onto an exploration of balancing poses and the like, which are also
expressions of stillness.
4.6.6 FINDING BALANCE
Balancing was an element of the sessions that was used throughout all the phases. In yoga
there are many standing postures, which are balances of a sort, and as such work the muscles
of the body isometrically (Coulter, 2001), for example trikonasana or triangle pose (Iyengar,
1966). Muscles can work either dynamically or statically, and yoga can be used for both, and
to bring structural balance to a body (Stiles, 2000). In a balancing pose, the muscles are
working to contract without any movements taking place in the joint (Wirhead, 1982). In
addition to the standing poses, there are asanas where you stand on one leg, or balance on
your hands, such as garudasana (eagle pose) and bakasana (crow pose). Many yoga poses
are named after animals, or take inspiration from their movements, and this can be used to
encourage children to practice (Gibbs, 2003; Mainland, 1998). In developmental movements,
balances form part of the processes and routes of locomotion.
FIGURE 38 THIS REMINDS ME OF MY DOG
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The following extracts are the observations, notes and data from a session on balance with the
youngest children in the school (Reception and Year 1 children).
“Balanced on one body part, then 2, 3, 4, and 5…one child on belly, children making
up positions some copying me.
Balanced on one leg, tried all holding hands in a circle– sitting down, standing up–
one got pulled over– makes it a bit harder sometimes with other people, on one leg, in
the circle, behind the circle, falling over children, tried the other side, same happened.
We made a mind map of what it was like to balance or what you need.” (Field Notes
phase 1)
FIGURE 39 RECEPTION AND YEAR 1's WAYS TO BALANCE
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The brainstorming was a result of the children’s suggestions. The words were as they spoke
them, and they chose the colour I wrote in. The stick figure represents one child’s response to
the question of what it was like, or what you need to balance, he demonstrated this position,
and I drew a picture of him. I scribed for them, and chose on this occasion that it was not
appropriate to gather data from each child individually, as they needed to work cohesively as
a group to reinforce the positive behaviour they had shown both in class and with me. I had
to balance their needs as participants and as children against my roles as educator and
therapeutic practitioner with my needs as a researcher.
Working with slightly older children, we explored what it was like to balance, and they
compared how they found it to balance in different positions, and with their eyes open or shut.
“Started finding how we can balance– on bottoms, squats, standing with eyes closed
and arms up “harder with eyes closed” some children found it easier too.” (Field
Notes).
“Whole class engaged K. fab at balancing– smiling whole class clapped when she
balanced on one leg throughout the exercise.” (Field Notes)
The child mentioned here, K., was initially shy and reluctant to be seen by the whole class and
be applauded in the circle game. When I observed her in class I noticed a similar pattern of
behaviour, in that she would hold herself back, not offer an answer and yet when questioned
quietly in private would be confident and knowledgeable in her response. She seemed to
become more confident over the time I observed her in sessions. Because the sessions were
spread over two academic years, all the children grew older, and this may have been the
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reason for this. Developmentally, this could have changed their ability to balance and to be
still. One child, RO., commented on this:
“Me.: This one here you said “I find it hard to stand still”. Do you think that's true?
RO.:
Not now.
Me:
Not now. So you think you've changed? Do you think doing this helped change
or was it just because you got older?
RO:
Because I've got older.” (RO. Year 4)
FIGURE 40 BALANCING
Leading a session on balance tends to help focus a class, as in order to balance successfully a
degree of focus and concentration is needed. In yoga, drushti, or focus points are used to
direct the gaze and to aid the development of focus (Devereux, 1998). With the children, I
advised them to concentrate on a point in front of them, and avoid looking at each other, as
this may make them more likely to lose their balance. In addition to focusing, the group need
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to be responsive, as more complicated balances have a higher degree of risk associated with
them. Children tend to enjoy doing more exciting positions, and are often able to listen, to be
safe and to focus in order to get the opportunity to practise them. Balances can help children
to practice concentration, as there are immediate consequences for losing focus.
“Me: What did you think about lots of ways to be balanced?
D:
I think it was quite hard in summer because you had to concentrate quite a lot.
Me:
Why did you have to concentrate?
D:
Because otherwise you would just fall over.” (D. Year 4)
Falling over was also something that we practiced. Finding a balance point, and exploring
righting and equilibrium reactions is again a playful way to embody developmental movement
patterns (Hartley, 1989). In addition, playing with balances is less scary if you know how to
fall and catch yourself.
“Me: What do you think you would have liked to have done more of?
E:
Probably balances and different kinds.
Me:
Okay. Why?
E:
Because sometimes it’s fun to balance.
Me:
Why is it fun to balance?
E:
Because it’s like different and then when you balance you can fall over. It’s
fun.” (E. Year 5)
Other children expressed the wish for more balances, like A. (Year 5) who said, “probably
balancing” in response to the same question. Although over two school terms had elapsed
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between regular work with me in sessions and the interview, K. in Year 2, remembered the
balances most out of all the work we had explored.
“Me: What do you remember most about doing it?
K:
Doing balancing.
Me:
Why do you remember balancing?
K:
Cos you do balancing to stretch yourself.
Me:
You do. Did you like doing the balancing to stretch yourself?
K:
Yeah.” (K. Year 2)
A girl from Year 6, C., was able to elaborate on why she remembered balances and balancing
most.
“Me: What things do you remember most about all the stuff that we done...did?
C:
The stretching and the balancing.
Me:
Okay. Why do you remember those?
C:
Because like you were keeping your head and then when you don’t do all the
different things like your sport and like football and all that you’ve got to do
stretching, so you keep that in mind, and like the balancing, you’ve always got
to do balancing, because like if like you’re standing still you’ve got to balance
properly and it feels like you don’t want to be falling over all the time. So
that’s what I remember about the balancing....Mmm...When we was doing like
the balancing, when we done like the handstands and all of that, I thought that
was really fun, and then balancing on the...like in pairs and like maybe the
balancing because I thought the balancing was really fun and it got people like
more used to doing it, like this sort of thing for balancing.” (C. Year 6)
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The idea of balance was explored individually, as well as in pairs, small groups and as a
circle. The children were asked to notice whether they found it easier on their own, or with
someone else.
FIGURE 41 J. “I THINK IT IS EASYER TO BE BY MYSELF WHEN WE DO
BALINGCING (SIC)”
Some of the children preferred to work on their own, either because like J. (above) “I think it
is easyer to be by myself when we do Balingcing because I am scared that there going to fall
on me (sic)”, they were scared that the others would fall on them, or because they found it
harder to keep their balance. Even when this was the case though, group or pair balance
exercises were a favourite activity. MI. reflected on balancing on his own and with others.
“MI.: You have to stay still in one place like on one leg in a tricky position. It is
comfortable and not comfortable. I would like to do it in a group...” (MI. Year
6)
Although the sessions were not designed to highlight developmental issues, nor was this study
attempting to link developmental patterns to academic attainment, it was commented on by
teachers during the sessions that they were amazed at how it was that the children who were
challenged most by balances and associated movements (for example hopping) also struggled
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with their class-work, particularly literacy. Informal feedback from staff was also that the
groups were able to focus more, and concentrate easier after the sessions, and that they were
amazed at how the children were able to improve their balance throughout a session by
focusing, and concentrating. The need for focus in order to balance was obvious to many
children too, they said you had to “stay focused”, and if “distracted you wobble” (R. Year 6).
B. noted the variable and challenging nature of balance, “quite hard to do sometimes you can
feel like you can do it and you can’t” (B. Year 6). One child in Year 2 reflected that he felt
“quite wobbly” (J.) when he was asked what it felt like to balance. A girl in year 6, L., said
on reflection that “I had to clear my mind, try to focus. It helped a lot.” She had a lot going
on in her life at this time– her mother was in hospital, and she had spoken in the circle about
how worried she was. At the time in the session she had written “I find it really easy– my
mum comes out of hospital and it made me think of her because she taught me balance and
exercise stuff.”
FIGURE 42 MI. "YOU HAVE TO STAY STILL…”
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The link between balance with the body and other aspects of life was made by others, too.
Whilst at the start of the session M. said about balance, “people do it in circuses,” and one
child drew a tightrope.
FIGURE 43 BALANCE ON A TIGHT ROPE
R. (Year 6), said that balance was like a journey. He reflected the following about a picture
he drew in a session on balancing, “you start confident then lose it and lose it and lose it a bit
more…You balance and then you wobble and wobble and wobble and then you balance and
wobble and then you may fall over” (see Fig. 44).
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FIGURE 44 BALANCE IS LIKE A JOURNEY
The balances in the sessions were mostly based around yoga poses and positions that the
children themselves created. I led pair or group work, which involved holding hands, or
assisting each other to balance in a more challenging posture. Handstands were only explored
in the first phase, as after that time the wall space became limited. In phase 3, when the Year
5 and 6 children were allowed to work in groups of their own choosing, they wanted to
explore and create complex balances. Both the class teacher and I watched this very
carefully, as obviously there was an increased element of risk in this work. I had to balance
my role as researcher and practitioner here, as I wanted to allow the class the freedom to
choose and explore what they wanted to, however I needed them to work safely.
“The boys MI., J., P. and JO. looked like they were being rowdy, as they were trying
group balances but were in actual fact paying very good attention to each other, being
careful with each other and working well as a team. I suggested that they use a
camera from different angles or points in the poses, and be sure that they could repeat
the same balance again and again. They began to take notes as well as practise.
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B., T. and R. were messing about a bit– drawing guns and things to make them happy,
then they also started to include things that made them feel other emotions. They saw
the balancing groups and also started to do that but were not paying attention to each
other and T. managed to head butt R. After that they began to work a little more
carefully, and by the end were collaborating well.” (Field Notes)
I ensured that the class as a whole were paying attention to me and to each other by calling
them regularly back to the circle to share and report back what they were doing. I decided to
use these two groups as a teaching example, and asked J. to share with the class how it had
felt when he was in the position that he was in (balancing between three other boys), as his
group had been particularly active and loud. He was able to say that he felt safe, because he
knew that they were listening to him and to each other, and he trusted that if he were to ask
them to stop or to come out of the position that they would listen. I also asked the other group
how they felt when they were balancing and they said that they did not feel safe at all, because
they were not listening to each other. In order to address this issue, I reiterated the need for
safety. I also increased the warm-up time for these sessions, to focus on shoulders, legs,
backs and arms. Additionally, I regularly reminded them to feed back to each other as a
group how they were feeling in any given position, and also to be aware of their own safety
and comfort as an individual, of their friends, and as a group as a whole.
On their display poster, B., T. and R. wrote the following about their group balances.
“I felt a little unstable because when R. kept on leaning backwards when I told him to
lean forwards”
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“On this pose we felt rather safe because we were all communicating well and we
trusted each other a lot”
“R. felt quite safe because I kept speaking to him to say if he’s ok”
“R. felt a bit cousios (sic) because me and A. were wobbling”
“On this pose B. felt a little un safe but mostly safe”
FIGURE 45 B., T., AND R.'S POSTER
Finding balance and places of stillness is a tool that can be practiced in movement forms such
as yoga (Devereux, 1998), and then be used in everyday life. The children were able to use
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their focus and concentration to enable them to balance in positions of their own choosing. In
part this was achieved through their developing awareness of those around them, and their
own embodied self-awareness. This, in turn, was facilitated by an exploration of the body in
different still positions, in movement, and its internal structure or anatomy.
4.6.7 PERCEPTIONS OF INNER STRUCTURE
There is an assumption that that highly specialised training is needed to bring awareness to
the inner body, and Leder (1990) makes a direct reference to yoga training:
“The awareness of and control over the inner body exhibited by trained yogis has far
surpassed what used to be thought possible in the West. Yet even such achievements
take place only within an overall context of experiential disappearance. The very need
for highly specialized training is evidence of the perceptual reticence of our viscera as
compared to the body surface.” (Leder, 1990, p. 43)
To the contrary, such awareness is a fundamental aspect of not only yoga, but also other
somatic movement forms (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993; Hartley, 1989; Olsen, 1998), and types of
modern dance and movement awareness (Da'Oud, 1995). Hartley (2006) uses awareness of
the physiological body and the relationship of embodied experience to the outer world as a
metaphor for outer world issues such as boundaries and war. In a discussion of
phenomenology and yoga, Sarukkai states “it is possible to have phenomenological
experiences of the inner body” (2002 p. 462). To that end it was something I explored with
the children in this project. I was also interested to find out how the children perceived the
insides of their bodies beyond the anatomical structures and organs, and how they perceived
the relationships between the physiological functions of their bodies and their emotional
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experience (Stauffer, 2010). According to Craig, a neuroscientist, interoception, or how we
feel, is the “sense of the physiological condition of the entire body, not just the viscera”
(Craig, 2002). In order to capture the experiences of the children with regard to their internal
structure, we explored how images, models, language, pictures and photographs portrayed the
inside of the body, and how these images related to the children’s own perceptions.
The following came from a group of the youngest children at the very beginning of a session:
“I asked the group to be in mouse pose and to think about what was inside them.
After a couple of minutes, during which I continued to use my voice to encourage
them to be still and to be quiet and to think about the question, they stretched and I
asked some of the children what they had thought of:
L.– X-ray
A.– heart
R.– Brain
J.– blood
R.– guts
A.– skeleton
E.– power
N.– heart” (Field Notes)
At the end of the session “a lot of the boys drew power, however their drawings and marks
were all different– their own expressions of power inside them” (Field Notes).
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FIGURE 46 E.'S POWER IN MY BODY
FIGURE 47 J.'S POWER IN MY BODY
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The children were encouraged to move as different body parts and organs (Bainbridge Cohen,
1993). Here my notes show how the children moved in response to my questions. I was
sitting whilst talking them through the session at this point, neither modelling nor
demonstrating for them at all. I noted down the movements they made in response to my
suggestions.
“‘Can we move like our bones’– jumps, runs, handstands
‘Can we move like our brains’– on the floor head on the floor as well as sparky quick
hand movements from L.
‘Can we move like our hearts’– running modelling of hearts
Last choice came from J.– blood– again running, and use of arms,
L. showed different qualities of movement for each organ, as did J.” (Field Notes)
The work on the internal organs was again something that was remembered by some children
after the sessions had finished.
“I liked...I think it was the last year, it might have been the year before, when we
learnt about different parts of our body and we did these things when we made
different...the things we thought were important in our body out of the plasticine, and I
remember I made the heart. And I made it like a drum because it’s a beat.” (M. Year
6)
I introduced the organs of the body to the very youngest children using a number of props.
These included photographs, books, a poem, a skeleton display board with removable bones
and an organ dolly that had small removable organs within its chest cavity and head. I had
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previously used this toy with mothers and babies as part of peri-natal classes, and some of the
organs had gone missing.
“The class came in very quietly and came to sit quite near me. I showed the organ
doll– took out his brain, then opened his chest, his ribs and took out the organs. I said
that some were missing– did they know what. They said the tummy– so I said yes, the
stomach was missing. I said that there should be more than one kidney– one said
there should be two, and two lungs as well. I said that the focus of the session was the
heart, did they want to see some pictures?” (Field Notes)
The second group had slightly different ideas about what should be inside of the organ doll.
“I showed the large and small intestine, one kidney, S. knew we should have two, one
lung J. and S. knew we should have two, although there were guesses of three and
four...the liver; one thought we should have two of those...” (Field Notes)
After the organ doll, I continued the class using pictures from a children’s anatomy book
(Daynes & King, 2006), a book showing Leonardo DaVinci’s drawings (Cianchi, 2002), a
yoga book (Scaravelli, 1991), a book that had electron microscope and imaging pictures of the
living body (Photographic Atlas of the Body, 2004), and a book showing photographs of a
developing foetus (Nilsson, 2003).
“I showed the diagram– and said that we don’t really have little men inside us, and our
lungs are bigger than the picture shows. I showed the picture of the heart from the
Scarevelli book, and the foetus heart too. I asked them about words and phrases we
use about our heart– warm hearted, brave heart, cold hearted, heart broken– they said
heart attack. I asked them if they wanted to hear a poem and Miss T said that they had
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been listening to some poems in class, so I read ‘My Heart Leaps Up’ by William
Wordsworth. (Albery, 1997, p. 95) (See Appendix 9).
I then asked them all to kneel, put their hands on their heart and try to feel it beat and
to hear it inside themselves. Like the other classes, as soon as they felt their heart beat
they wanted to talk about it. I said that we would do some yoga movements to open
out our chest and give our hearts a bit more room.
We sat wide-legged and raised arms up and out, twisted, and went forward with the
out-breath. We then went onto tummies and looked over each shoulder. I asked the
children to find a space, kneel with their hands on their heart and try to feel it beating.
I told them if they were very quiet and felt deep inside they might feel it move with
their breath– up as they breathed out and down as they breathed in.” (Field Notes)
With these sessions I was able to keep the content for the two groups in each class uniform, as
the delivery and the props used were the same. However there were differences in how the
material was integrated and expressed, both by the individuals and between the different
groups and ages of the children. For example, in class 2, “whereas the first group mostly
drew anatomical hearts, [the other] drew mostly romantic hearts.” (Field Notes)
The similarity in the drawings could have been explained by proximity of the children
working at tables had this been the case. However, in the sessions the children would
separate and work in their own space on the floor, and remain working until they finished.
This means that the observed general themes within these two groups are not easily explained
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by the children copying each other. The older children seemed to find the work in this session
more challenging than the younger ones, particularly when modelling their heart out of
modelling clay:
“More children struggled with this– the class 2s [Year 3 and 4] were all enthusiasticbut these older children were on the whole a little more reluctant, or made something
then squished it as they were frustrated with the medium or what they were doing.
Those that finished earlier were given the option to draw or write. The models were
varied- some romantic hearts, some anatomical, a man in the heart, drums to represent
the beat...” (Field Notes).
FIGURE 48 GROUP 1 HEART
FIGURE 49 GROUP 1 HEART
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FIGURE 50 GROUP 2 HEART
FIGURE 51 GROUP 2 HEART
The heart, and the idea of the heart was again something that children remembered over a year
after the sessions.
“Me: And this is about organs and the heart…
MI:
Yeah.
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Me:
And you've written “it’s been a great time.” Can you remember why you wrote
that?
MI:
Well, the activities we were doing to like show the heart and stuff like that was
really great.
Me:
Okay.
MI:
I remember pretending like we were a bloodstream and then I could like stop.
Me:
Yeah and you died, didn't you?
MI:
Yeah.
AA:
I remember that too.” (MI. Year 6)
MI. said that he enjoyed the variety of the activities, and remembered how small groups of
three or four children made moving pictures of their hearts to share within the session. A
younger child, in Year 3, reflected on her picture in her interview:
“S:
It’s my picture one. It’s a big, big, big, big, big, big heart, a big, big heart. It
does have a big heart.
Me:
It does have a really big heart.
S:
And it’s in the shape of a heart.
Me:
Is it important to be a big heart, to have a big heart?
S:
If it’s grateful.
Me:
If it’s grateful? Why does your heart need to be grateful?
M:
Well, if you’re kind, I like kind people.” (S. Year 3)
The experiential approach to the body appealed to the children: “my mum’s a nurse, and it
made me think of the body and how it works and understand it more– my body– it’s not just
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learning” (L. Year 6); “it was fun because we had to make the shapes of the body parts. It
helped understand my body better because you like forget where your body is” (R. Year 6).
R.s response here is reminiscent of Leder’s (1990) concept of the absent body, in that unless it
is brought into conscious awareness, it disappears. Leder goes on to say that the body is often
most prominent in consciousness when it is dis-eased, or in pain. This type of experiential
exercise or activity brings the body into awareness without it having to be at a point of
discomfort.
FIGURE 52 S.'S BIG BIG HEART
Somatic education or movement might allow an alternative viewpoint to the traditional
Western belief in body and mind dissociation. This belief,
“leads to an increase in disassociative practices; we are encouraged to abandon
sensorimotor awareness for abstracted mathematical or linguistic forms. This in turn
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intensifies the day-to-day experience of mind as disembodied, confirming the initial
cultural premise.” (Leder, 1990, pp. 152 - 3)
‘Positive practices’ including yoga, martial arts, and some forms of dance or meditation are
deemed to be optional by Leder, only being sought out by those actively seeking them. He
continues on to give the opinion that although there are Western equivalents to these forms
that increase relaxation, coordination, ecstasy and concentration, that in general the
philosophical and religious traditions take a negative view toward the body and do not place
an emphasis on cultivating it. If positive body affirming and awareness practices are not
habitually part of life, then awareness of the body is remembered mostly when it is in pain,
tired, lustful, diseased or dying. If we do not experience our body positively, then it is more
likely that we subject it to abuse and neglect that leads to illness and physical decline, thus
further perpetuating the cycle (Fogel, 2009; Leder, 1990). The Cartesian duality and power
relation of mind over body can also be linked to the domination of men over women as:
“women have consistently been associated with the bodily sphere. They have been
linked with nature, sexuality and the passions, whereas men have been identified with
the rational mind. This equation implicitly legitimizes structures of domination.”
(Leder, 1990, p. 154)
This comparison with hierarchies of oppression could also be applied to the oppressions of
class, race, nature and the like. One aspect is identified with the body, the other (the
oppressor) with the mind, and the Cartesian view of seeing an inferior, external ‘Other’ that is
mindless and in need of control justifies subjugation. Phenomenology can be used as a tool to
logically refute or criticise a dualist approach. However, this argument, made without
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experiential knowledge and understanding, can become yet another discourse that once again
panders to the rational mind, and ignores not only the body, but the reality of an embodied
self. Perceiving and understanding the body-mind as a whole and unified thing, rather than a
dualist split body and mind is a different ontological standpoint, and one that is more closely
associated with somatic practices.
4.7 MOVEMENT WITHIN EDUCATION
The educational value that physical education can play for children and young people has
been a topic of perennial interest among physical education theorists. Views vary, from those
who emphasise the scientific literature (Cale & Duncombe, 2008; Fairclough & Stratton,
2006; Harris, 2005), to those who write from more philosophical or phenomenological
traditions (Arnold, 1979; Bailey, 2006; McNamee M, 2005; Whitehead, 1990,2005). In fact,
McNamee and Bailey (2010) state that the majority of scholarship in the field of the
philosophy of education has been concerned with the ‘educational’ value of physical activity,
and its place within the curriculum. Early-learning experiences have been seen as crucial to
an individual developing a continuing involvement with physical activity (Kirk, 2005). A
lack of motor ability has been shown to affect the frequency of social play and social
reticence in young children (Bar-Haim & Bart, 2006), which in turn negatively influences
social and psychological well-being (Bailey et al, 2009). Given this, it could be expected that
developing an awareness of the body, an embodied self-awareness, would be an intrinsic part
of education. However, the body is often seen as an adjunct to education, unless it is within
the realms of body cultivation in physical education (Barrow, 2008), or body maintenance
(Bailey, 2009). Although Barrow states that a healthy body is desirable for an individual, he
also asks whether it is a priority within the schooling system, given that education is about the
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development of the mind, and not the body. This could be seen as the ‘traditional view’ of the
body in education.
Barrow does distinguish between movement, sport, fitness and health, as he believes that they
each have different importance, educationally and otherwise. Sport has been claimed to build
‘character’ and ‘team spirit’. Health is a topic that can be seen to be more theoretical than
practical. Fitness may contribute to mental capacity and functioning, and/or the lack of
physical fitness can impair mental, emotional and spiritual living. Barrow conflates sport and
movement, and likens dance to playing cricket, with the learning of how a human body
responds to movement equated to learning to appreciate music, with a music student able,
perhaps, to appreciate music more. Movement is not the same as sport, and some forms of
movement are not easily categorised in conventional definitions of physical activity, such as;
play, game and sport (Morgan, 2006). Kentel and Dobson (2007) saw movement that
develops a mind-body connection, particularly free play and dance as vital “not only as a
means to an educational end, but as an end in itself” (p. 145). Lastly, Barrow considers the
relationship between the body, movement, the mind and understanding; the idea that
movement embodies meaning. He uses this relationship, and the view that movement has the
capacity to enhance understanding, to substantiate the importance of the body in education.
Affective and cognitive benefits of physical education and school sport were discussed by
Bailey et al. (2009) in a literary review of the educational benefits claimed and the historical
perspectives of the subject, physical benefits, and social benefits. The affective benefits are
stated as including psychological and emotional well-being and skills and assets including
mental health, positive self-regard, conflict resolution, coping strategies, mastery motivation,
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a sense of autonomy, moral character and confidence. Empathy is not included within this
list, although it could be argued that it should be included as it is of use in increasing positive
relationships with others, which are clearly emphasised here. Dimensions such as emotion,
preference, choice, aspirations, attitude and appreciations are included, and empathy would
arguably be a component of these, as it can be important in reflective processes (Joireman et
al, 2002). Evidence was found that physical education and school sport enhances children’s
self-esteem, mainly thought to be due to their perception of achievement and mastery.
However, the effects of competition on children are not always positive, and many children
identify with the idea that ‘doing well’ is what equates to enjoyment and feeling good
(Wessinger, 1994), rather than ‘taking part’. This has the possibility of disenfranchising those
that are not as able. As the review looked at physical activity and physical education and
school sport, any relationships between particular movement patterns and mood and emotion
were not drawn out.
Transfer effects have been claimed from physical education to other areas of the curriculum,
under a longstanding and general idea of ‘healthy body healthy mind’ as well as the
stimulation of generic cognitive or learning skills (Bailey, et al, 2009). However, physical
education and school sport is not the same as the movement and physical activity that the
participants experienced within this study, as physical education and sport do not generally
come from an intention to enhance and educate the individual about her somatic awareness,
and give her opportunity to reflect on it (Macdonald et al., 2002).
The idea that physical education could be used to hybridise Western and Eastern views of the
body to enhance a body-mind unity is suggested by Lu et al. (Lu et al, 2009) although they do
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not say how this could work in practice. Although ‘alternative thinkers’ have called for more
holistic approaches to physical education that incorporate new or different ways to think about
the body and health (Linden, 1994), “most if not all of these alternative thinkers will not
appear on the reading list…or in university courses…their ideas have little voice” (Tinning,
2001, p. 201). This may be due to a perceived lack of evidence due to a comparative lack of
academic research. Health related benefits have been linked to physical education such as
back health (Tinning, 2001). It may be that these benefits could also be associated with
movement forms such as yoga, but this cannot be assumed. Although such studies are
relevant, they cannot be used as a basis for broad and general claims. Both Barrow and
Bailey considered the justification for and importance of physical education and sport within
the educational curriculum, which “is largely a product of how we think about the body...the
objectified, scientized body” (Tinning, 2001, p. 191). Yoga and SME could be used as an
opportunity to gain an alternate view of the body, one that is embodied rather than objectified,
reductive, or ignores the social and emotional aspects of movement (Markula & Pringle,
2006). This might tie in with a phenomenological approach to physical education as put
forward by Thorburn (2008), in which “the meaning of embodied action including
kinaesthetic awareness of one’s movements and the importance of sensations as they are
experienced by the body” (ibid p. 265) are seen as both rationale and pedagogical approach.
Markula and Pringle (2006) describe yoga as one of the “so-called mindful fitness practices”
(ibid. p. 155), that are becoming increasingly popular. The focus on observing movement
patterns through proprioceptive awareness, breathing, proper bodily alignment and the use of
intrinsic energy delineate these practices from other fitness regimes (ibid). Yoga has been
described as the phenomenology of the ‘inner’ body (Sarukkai, 2002). SME, by its very
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nature, is process rather than goal orientated. This can be seen as a major difference between
SME and other physical activities such as dance, where the acquisition and learning of skill is
determined by the achievement of a goal (Bailey & Pickard, 2010). This difference can also
be noted in the language that is used around physical education, as experience is “referenced
through movement and language (Thorburn, 2008, p. 266, my italics). For example, Armour
(1999) explicitly states the need for the education of pupils’ embodiment. However, the terms
‘performance’ and ‘body management’ were utilised to describe the emphasis that should be
placed on the practical sessions. The form of Authentic Movement (Adler, 2002) places
importance in the use of the language that is used to describe movement, and, in that ethos, it
may be that ‘experience’, or ‘awareness’ would be less objectifying and goal orientated terms.
Attitudes to and perceptions of physical education “are mediated by a host of factors,
including age, gender and curriculum content” (Dismore et al, 2006, p. 74), yet to date
“studies of younger students’ perceptions are particularly rare” (ibid). School sport in
particular, often works to a model of participant development, talent identification and
development that is very different to the ethos of non-judgemental person-centred work
ascribed to by somatic movement education (Toms, et al., 2010; Ford, et al., 2010; Bailey &
Toms, 2010). Specific programmes are in place to support those particularly talented at sport
(Bailey et al, 2011). Interestingly, Bain (1995) argues that students “in physical education
classes need not only to experience movement but also to think and to talk and write about
those movement experiences” (p. 246), in a similar process, I imagine, to those that the
children experienced in this study. This kind of reflection may elicit feelings and perceptions
from the children about how they feel about physical education, similar to those expressed in
these sessions.
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The movement sessions in this study were not designed to be part of the physical education
curriculum within the school. They fit into Bailey and Dismore’s (2004) functional definition
of physical education that included all supervised and structured activities that take place
within school and during the school day. The work was not instigated for specific outcomes
for the participants, nor as an intervention strategy, but, as has been discussed, was intended
to educate the children about different ways in which they could use their body, and to collect
data on how they perceived themselves, reflected on and expressed their sense of
embodiment. The school perceived my work with the children in part as fitting in with
physical education, dance and sport “these sessions help to meet the curriculum demands for
dance and physical education” (Reflective Journal). I was also asked to lead the timetabled
physical education sessions for some classes for a half-term. As I prepared for these I
wondered “how to bring the therapeutic, affirming side into the movement…qualities of
movement” (Reflective journal).
The therapeutic side of movement was considered by the philosopher Sheets-Johnstone
(2010). She stated that language is ‘post-kinetic’ that is, language acquisition occurs after
movement, rather than movement being pre-verbal. In addition, she cites Darwin’s
observations of animal’s movements and reactions to emotional stimuli (such as alarm) to
testify to the “intimate connection between movement and emotion” (Sheets-Johnstone, 2010,
p. 4). Movement is the form in which we can express and validate our sense of self within a
kinaesthetic reality. It is, therefore, the bridge between how we affect and sense the world
around us. The ability of movement to bring awareness and attention to parts of ourselves
that may have been invisible or unconscious previously, and bringing that awareness into
expression resonates strongly with the work in this study. This is the aspect of using
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movement that “introduces us to the possibility of languaging experience in more nuanced
and intricate ways” (Sheets-Johnstone, 2010, p. 9). Movement is therapeutic, because it gives
access to expression. With young children, this includes verbal expression, mark-making and
drawing in addition to the written expression that has been documented in the journaling and
reflective writings from the older participants. By expressing ourselves, we are better able to
make sense of the world that we live in, to share how we perceive it and to make ourselves
intelligible to others. Our rich language is associated with feelings that originate from
movement: “words, phrases and metaphors that attempt to portray the somatic components of
emotion” (Cromby, 2011, p. 89). Movement can also be a quick way, or a short cut to access
process orientated psychology (Mindell, 1995).
The reduction of the living body to a machine deplored by phenomenologists (Merleau-Ponty,
2002), is precisely the type of reduction that is criticised in much of the physical education
literature, where the body is simply assumed to be a machine (McNamee & Bailey, 2010).
Instead, Sheets-Johnstone postulates that perceptions are plaited into movement and there is
no ‘mind-doing’ that is separate from a ‘body-doing’. To think in movement is to experience
a mindful body, and is tied to an evolving, changing situation. It is a way of being in the
world, of wondering or exploring the world, taking it up moment by moment and living it
directly in movement. It is the work of an existentially resonant body (Sheets-Johnstone,
2010).
The concept of ‘Physical Literacy’, developed by Whitehead (Killingbeck et al, 2007;
Whitehead, 2004; 2005; 2007) is philosophically rooted in the view that a person is embodied,
and that there is no Cartesian separation of mind and body. Whitehead believes that the intent
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of physical education should be the nurturing of physical literacy, that is “the ability to use
our motility to the greatest effect” (Whitehead, 2007, p. 6). This is to be achieved by
developing poise and confidence through balance, co-ordination, agility, and spatial
awareness amongst other attributes, and with a teacher approach that is “sensitive to the needs
of the embodied pupils with whom they are working” (ibid p 9). Used as a basis for physical
education, physical literacy could be used to “prepare the basic building blocks, to foster the
positive attitudes, to encourage independence, variety in learning and participation” (HaydnDavies, 2005). Physical literacy has been interpreted by others in terms of skill acquisition
and a goal rather than process orientated process with respect to physical education
(Killingbeck et al, 2007). This may in part be due to the language, in that ‘literacy’ is an
achievable goal, and ‘physical’ denotes that it is motor function that is of importance along
with the tradition of skill-based physical education. Whitehead’s description of physical
literacy matches well with the outcomes and results of SME. She states “this form of Literacy
opens the door to so much e.g. understanding, knowledge and aesthetic
appreciation…[it]…makes a huge difference to the quality of our lives…has the potential to
make beneficial and significant difference to a person’s ability to take advantage of the many
opportunities life offers” (Whitehead, 2007, p. 6). It could be suggested that SME is a means
of achieving physical literacy for individuals.
According to work by Côté and Hay (2002) young people’s socialisation into sport and
activity follows a general pattern of ‘sampling years’ (aged 7–12) followed by a specialising
phase at around age 13-15, then moves towards either recreational engagement with sport and
activity, investment in a particular form at a high level, or drop-out. Key features of the early
sampling phase are that it should be motivated by fun and enjoyment, include a range of
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activities and have characteristics of ‘deliberate play’ that centres around the development of
techniques and understanding. Deliberate play is contrasted with the free and spontaneous
play of infants and very young children, and is designed to maximise enjoyment (Kirk, 2005).
The work the children at the school had previously experienced with me would fit easily into
the category of deliberate play.
I was asked by the school to lead physical education sessions for the Infants (Reception–Year
2) in addition to the study sessions, for one school term (six weeks). At first I was a little
unsure of how these ‘PE’ sessions needed to be different from my own work with the classes,
beyond obvious lack of data collection. I linked in the work to the class topics (see Appendix
10 for sample notes from a class). The work was exploratory, and the children were
encouraged to express themselves in response to language, images and ideas. I wrote the
following notes after a session on the theme of ‘fireworks’:
“How a firework explodes…different types of fireworks; rockets, wizzles, Catherine
wheels (with arms, then whole body)
Came back to a circle and thought about the colours of fireworks. They put their
hands on their eyes and thought of a firework, any types, but in a certain colour.
We came back to the circle between each colour– the children chose: green, red,
orange, yellow, blue, purple and gold.
The class teacher was struck by the different qualities of movement she observed.”
(Notes from PE sessions)
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I noted at the time that this was “more like the work I used to do with them...” (Reflective
Journal).
Within the study itself, the children mostly made their own links between the work and
physical education: “I liked it because it’s linked into sports and all that and I like doing it, I
like sports” (D. Year 4). One boy, R. struggled with the sessions at times, and bringing the
work into a physical education context was something that I tried to encourage him:
“R. wanted to do maths– more of a context needed for some children? Verbally linked
into physical education which he likes, talked about my boss and this work being in
physical education. Tried hard needed a lot of verbal encouragement– he is the
youngest in this group– Y3 where the others are Y4.” (Reflective Journal)
In some respects this worked, as R. did engage more throughout the time I was in school, and
we developed a positive relationship to the point where he forgot his earlier concerns.
However in the interview, he was able to look over his work:
“And you said “I'm rubbish at yoga; I'm good at every style of PE except
yoga.” Do you remember that? Do you remember saying it while I wrote it?
No? I remember writing it down because I didn't agree with you at all.” (R.
Year 5)
Here, R. implicitly thought of yoga as a kind of physical education. In contrast, both E. (Year
6) and J. (Year 4) spoke of the differences they saw between yoga and other sports and
physical education, whilst still identifying it as a form of physical education.
“Me: And looking back on it, is it something that you're pleased you've done?
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E.:
Yeah.
Me:
Why?
E.:
Because it’s like not like normal PE is.
Me:
What makes it different?
E.:
Because we normally go outside and have to play basketball.
Me:
Don't you like playing basketball?
E.:
It’s okay. I find yoga more fun.
Me:
What, because it’s inside?
E.:
I don't know. It’s just…It’s because of you get to do like different stuff in one
lesson.” (E. Year 6)
Although E. found it hard to articulate the differences that she felt between physical education
and yoga, although, she too implied that although ‘not like normal PE’, it was still physical
education, J. began by speaking about how she liked the content of the sessions, and gave that
as a reason for liking the work. Although the yoga contained many stretches, it is possible
that we approached them differently from how she had experienced them in gymnastics.
“Me: What was exciting about it?
J.:
Well, I never did such things like it before.
Me:
Okay, why were they different?
J.:
Because I used to...I do gymnastics but yoga’s exactly like that, but it’s really
funner.
Me:
What makes it funner or different from gymnastics?
J.:
Well, in gymnastics they’ve got equipment but in yoga they don’t.
Me:
Okay. What makes it more funner?
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J.:
Well, we’ve...in gymnastics we’ve done lots of stretches and lots of things and
what I don’t like, but in yoga we do things that I like.” (J. Year 4)
Later in the interview, when I asked about the reflective side of the work, J. again referred
back to her experiences of gymnastics.
“Me: Do you remember I used to ask you to do some movements and then we’d talk
about it and think about it and write or draw about what it felt like? What was
that like?
J.:
Yes, it was fun because we don’t do that in gymnastics.
Me:
Okay. So that was the difference between that and gymnastics? Was it easy or
hard for you to do?
J:
It was easy.” (J. Year 4)
The stretches, that J. found more prevalent in gymnastics, were one of the things that C. (Year
6) remembered most, “when you don’t do all the different things like your sport and like
football and all that you’ve got to do stretching, so you keep that in mind.” Here, C. also
began to reflect on how the work in the sessions related to the rest of her life. This aspect of
how the work feeds into everyday life makes it, as one child in Year 1 put it “it’s a bit like PE
but it’s not PE”.
4.8 SUMMARY
This chapter has discussed the results of the study with respect to the themes of mind,
bodymind, embodiment and perceptions of the body, and in addition, the role of movement
and somatic movement within physical education, and how the children perceived the
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movement in the study in relation to ‘normal’ physical education. Mindfulness, and the skills
of embodiment “may be important in disengaging individuals from automatic thoughts,
habits, and unhealthy behaviour patterns and thus could play a key role in fostering informed
and self-endorsed behavioural regulation” (Brown & Ryan, 2003, p. 823). Young children
can begin to learn these skills, and ideally continue to develop them as they grow, however,
the fact that they are in school and a large proportion of their life is controlled and arranged
by adults does impact on their ability to self-regulate.
The children’s experiences of their minds and bodies included their perceptions, recognition
and expression of emotion. They drew and wrote about being still, finding balance, and their
own experience of the inner structure of their bodies. The children shared their experiences of
being and feeling stretched, pain and why they liked to move. Movement was seen as fun by
the majority of the children, and they expressed what they saw as the similarities and
differences between the movement in the sessions and school physical education.
There is an on-going debate about the position, value, purpose and definition of physical
education and movement within education. Physical education may be seen as useful for
health and fitness reasons rather than education (Barrow, 2008), or vital to integrate students’
lived-body experiences and acquisition of subject knowledge (Thorburn, 2008). By
integrating expression through movement and language into physical education it may be
possible to also facilitate young people’s developing self-awareness as well as their motor
skills (Bresler, 2004). Somatic movement education (SME) may be one way in which
movement, and according to the functional definition (Bailey & Dismore, 2004), physical
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education could achieve this. The next chapter looks in more detail at SME, and the boundary
between that and somatic movement therapy.
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CHAPTER 5 EMBODIMENT AND LEARNING: SOMATIC MOVEMENT
THERAPY AND EDUCATION
This chapter explores the boundaries between somatic movement education and somatic
movement therapy. Somatic work can have therapeutic effects even when used educationally.
This chapter first considers how somatic movement can be used therapeutically to develop
embodied self-awareness. Secondly, the importance of relationships in somatic movement
education and therapy are considered, both in general, and with reference to the sessions in
this study. Finally, as I remained aware of my role as therapeutic practitioner as well as
educator and researcher throughout, I include case studies of two children who participated in
the sessions for whom I considered the work to be more therapeutic than educational.
5.1 THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT TO INCREASE EMBODIED SELFAWARENESS
Somatic movement can be used both educationally and therapeutically (ISMETA; Hartley,
1989; Hartley, 2004). Similarly, yoga can be practiced, taught or used as a therapy
(Desikachar, 1995). Trainings and requirements of educators and therapists may share
elements “there must be similarities between implicit tensions and potential emotional
pitfalls” (Cox, 1988, p. 83). In order to deal with the inherent stresses, and avoid burnout, a
therapeutic training would include a conceptual framework in which she can work (ibid.). In
addition, a therapist would undergo a prolonged process in which she becomes cognisant of
her own edges and limitations. This may be through personal analysis, however, regardless of
the process “there is no doubt whatever that he needs prolonged personal supervision and
monitored introspection of his own responses” (ibid, p. 92). These processes are put in place
to safeguard both the therapist and the client, as well as to ensure that when necessary, correct
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procedures are followed for referral and termination (Leigh, 1998). The ‘introspection’
necessary may be part of a reflective practice, which the therapist would employ for her
profession, as well as her own personal development: “therapists need an equally deep
connection with their own embodied life” (Totten, 2003, p. 79).
Depth of practice in a therapist will benefit a client (Sills, 2000). This quality may allow a
practitioner to tune-in to her students, and be sensitive to them (Fogel, 2009). This
intersubjectivity allows the practitioner to be more open to her students’ experiences, and
require her to remain self-aware whilst working with other people: “the teacher or practitioner
must herself embody a certain quality of openness and curiosity toward her own embodied
self-awareness and to the discoveries made by her students...we have all been in situations
where intersubjectivity is not possible” (ibid, p. 224). Within an educational context, it is
within this intersubjective praxis that the educator and child form between them, both acting
as competent partners within the relationship, that results in education (Biesta, 1994).
However, there may be times when intersubjectivity is not possible, or when it is possible, but
extracts a price from the practitioner. This may be one reason that the ethical codes for
psychotherapists include regular, contracted supervision (BACP).
In a discussion of principles for the therapeutic treatment of lost embodied self-awareness,
Fogel defines eight stages; resources, slowing down, co-regulation, verbalisation, links and
boundaries, self-regulation, re-engagement, and letting go, details of which can be found in
Appendix 11. Somatic movement therapy may be used in a similar way to Fogel’s approach
in order to increase a clients’ embodied self-awareness, and to address the issues or reasons
that lie beneath its loss (Hartley, 2004). Somatic movement education, in contrast, would not
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seek explicitly to explore why an individual wished to increase their embodied sense of selfawareness, although a practitioner might choose to follow up any insights gained through
sessions in personal therapy (Hartley, 1989). This demonstrates a difference between
educational and therapeutic approaches within somatic movement. There is a differentiation
between educational material that may have therapeutic content (of which the practitioner
needs to be aware), and a therapeutic intention. Either way, in order to choose between the
two approaches the practitioner would have undergone a therapeutic training, as the
differentiation occurs at a point of accreditation and not at training. If a purely educational
course had been taken, then the practitioner would have to be very aware of their limits and
their ability to work therapeutically. This differentiation between education and therapy does
not seem to be present in Ecclestone and Hayes’ (2004) discussion of therapeutic education,
where they suggest that “almost everyone in education now has some counselling or
therapeutic aspect to their work” (ibid, p. 128), who speak of ‘therapist/teachers’ and imply
that therapeutic elements in teacher training are detrimental to education.
5.2 FORMING RELATIONSHIPS IN SOMATIC MOVEMENT
EDUCATION/THERAPY
In a therapeutic one-to-one session the practitioner/therapist can focus entirely on the needs of
her client. In a group it is necessary to hold the ‘energy’, or focus, of the group together, and
accommodate individuals as much as possible. Because of the compromises inherent in this,
the practitioner must be careful not to introduce material that may be too much to be held
appropriately, and maintain a relationship with all present as much as possible. These
research sessions were intended to be educational, and yet the boundary between the
therapeutic and educational contexts of somatic movement may overlap at times, as the
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individuals process information about themselves, their bodies, and their sense of
embodiment. This was most evident with the sessions with the older children; however, each
session was designed to incorporate time that was practitioner led as well as time for
individual exploration and reflection, so as to allow time for any issues to be contained and
‘held’ (Rogers, 1967), in recognition of the fact that some children may need more therapeutic
holding. The trust that had been built over time between the children and myself meant that
some children seemed to feel safe enough to express deep feelings and emotions.
There were some children whom I identified as being good candidates for more therapeutic
work “Education/therapy boundary...potential to follow up the group sessions with one-to-one
work with A.– more therapeutic than educational” (Reflective Journal phase 1). This element
of therapeutic intention was in part due to the relationships that I had formed with the
children, and the staff in the school.
“The importance of relationships in this kind of work are key. I have reflected about
the line between education and therapy however underlying any learning that is of this
kind there has to be a level of trust. Trust that whoever has responsibility for the work
can hold the space of the class. It was a big thing that the class looked to me for that
holding at the end. They knew me, I knew them. They do play up at times (or more
accurately they play off each other in the low level disturbance) however they do have
enough respect that when I ask them to be quiet, or do something, they do it.”
(Reflective Journal)
In phases 1 and 2 I worked with a teaching assistant, or occasionally the class teacher in the
sessions. Due to staff changes, these were not always the same women I had previously
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worked with, and some appeared to ‘get’ the work more than others. One took up yoga as a
result. I noted at the time: “the importance of the relationship with the practitioner/teacher
and if other staff present with them too” as a comment on the different ways in which the
sessions went, and how they were willing or not to engage fully and openly. Whenever
possible I would explain to and inform the teaching assistant or teacher, so that they
understood the purpose of the work and the exercises that I asked the children to do, and what
I needed from them.
“I need the children to be willing to share their feelings, thoughts and experiences and
need support from the teaching assistant and teacher, but also need to support them
and to have the class behave in a way that is not dangerous and enables us to the more
interesting things...” (Reflective Journal)
I also discussed the differences between this work and teaching lessons.
“This is different to ‘education’. There is a need for more creativity and freedom but
has the edge of being less in control…They need for this research to have the freedom
to express what they want and not what they think I want.” (Field Notes phase 3)
It was not necessary for the teaching assistant or teacher to know about the work, or to have
movement or yoga experience, but a child-centred approach was vital.
“With the older children, the trust is evident in the care and the thought and the
openness with which they are approaching the work and the writing about it. Children
like B. are now joining in, contributing and being positive. M. is also contributing
positively and from the comments from his teacher is behaving differently in the
sessions. He is enjoyable to have in the class.
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Some of the children (particularly the older ones) are very willing to participate in the
‘journaling’ aspect of exploring themes, their feelings, thoughts and movement
through writing and art.” (Reflexive Journal phase 1)
The importance of trust was particularly evident in a session where the usual class teacher for
the youngest children was absent. A supply teacher came with the group to the space.
Previously, the school had a policy of engaging the same one or two supply teachers for
periods of illness or long term leave, and these people knew the school, and the children. The
teacher who came to this session was new to the class, and to me. This particular class had a
few children who were relatively disruptive. They egged on the behaviour of a boy, A., who
was on the special needs register for children with special educational needs (SEN). I was
told this informally by staff at the school, however, I was not allowed to see his records, nor
was I told his official diagnosis if one had been given. I recognised from my experience that
this boy had elements of the autistic spectrum in his behaviour. Autistic spectrum disorder is
a condition that can affect perceptions of the self, and embodied self-awareness: a high
functioning woman on the autistic spectrum described it: “I found it very hard to hold onto the
concept that my body was part of me” (Williams, 2003, p. 23). A. is a child on whom I
reflected on a lot, in part because his actions and manner reminded me of my godson, who
had at the time a diagnosis of PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder– Not Otherwise
Specified) with autistic spectrum disorder; since changed to atypical autism. Together with
the class teacher, I had been working on integrating A. into the group activities whilst
ensuring that his behaviour was not disruptive to others, and that behaviour in general was not
an issue.
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“Class 1 was different this week with the supply teacher who did not know the
children. She seemed to have an entirely different style of relating to them– more old
school– which I did not see them respond to well.
She was less able to support me and the class in terms of an exploratory context– i.e.
allowing them the freedom to explore the material. However she also did not seem to
have the authority to enforce behaviour when that was required. In contrast the
children looked to me at the end of the class for discipline and maintaining the line
and comfort and sorting out when someone was hurt.” (Reflective Journal phase 1)
This relationship, and the trust that is implicit, is key to a Person-Centred approach. Mearns
and Thorne explore the idea of ‘relational depth’, and describe the therapeutic relationship as
one which “is unique in respect of the fact that it offers the person a context where they are
not being judged, where they are not expected to be in any particular way” (Mearns &
Thorne, 1998, p. 63).
Within the sessions, it was important to me to build an atmosphere of trust, encouragement
and support, so that each child was able to gain confidence. The relationships that we built
with each other in this context were key: “relationship is the mirror in which you discover
yourself. Without relationship you are not; to be is to be related; to be related is existence”
(Krishnamurti, 2002, p. 280). Within a therapeutic context, the relational field is defined as
that generated by the therapist and the client. In this case, the relational field encompassed all
the children, and any participating staff. Regardless of the numbers of people participating, it
was my role as facilitator to be present with my full awareness, and to hold the space so that
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all could be heard, could listen, and communicate (Sills, 2010). Creating such a space was
completed in stages, through the rituals of making contact with those present, checking in
with everyone there, and more importantly allowing them time to check in with their own
inner state, and establishing a field of listening so that everyone knew that they could have
room to show and to share their feelings, thoughts and experiences. The circle game was one
way I did this, and it was a favourite with many children.
“Me: What do you wish we’d done more of?
R.:
Circle game.
Me:
Why did you like that one?
R.:
Because it was fun and you got to take turns and that.” (R. Year 3)
Some children did not appear to want to be the centre of attention in this way. To ensure that
everyone was applauded and seen, the rules of the circle game were that everyone had to
show something, either from the session, copying something that someone else had done, or
that they made up. If a child did not know what to do, then I would go into the circle with
them, and we would do a pose together. Every child (or adult, as some teaching assistants
enjoyed joining in) got a big round of applause. The recognition of each other was something
that was also encouraged at other times: “K. fab at balancing– smiling, whole class clapped
when she balanced on one leg throughout the exercise” (Field Notes phase 1). Not all of the
children found this aspect easy though. One girl said how she felt about other people seeing
what she’d written or drawn.
“C.:
That was pretty embarrassing to me, because you have to draw and then like
show everyone.
Me:
Okay, why was it embarrassing?
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C.:
Because I don’t really like...well, it’s okay with me but I don’t...showing
people my work, it’s not really my thing, you know, I don’t want them
knowing what...
Me:
What you’ve done?
C.:
Yes.
Me:
But you were all right with them watching you when you were moving, yes?
C.:
Yes.” (C. Year 4)
I was interested by her response about sharing her drawings, as this was not something that
we did at all in the sessions. We spoke a bit more about what she meant.
“Me: Do you remember we used to do the circle game, you have to get up and show,
was that all right or was that embarrassing?
C.:
That was fun.
Me:
Was it okay doing the writing and the drawing and the thinking about what it
felt like to move? Was that bit all right? Was it just the sharing bit you didn’t
really enjoy?
C.:
Well, I kind of enjoyed the sharing bit because I like expressing my ideas but
like just constantly sharing with others, we do show and tell with brain stuff
and share them like that, we do that every week, so it’s like people and sharing,
but it’s...I don’t get like angry with it, it’s a bit fun sharing my ideas.
Me:
Okay. Is it kind of like an edge, like do you like it but you don’t like it?
C.:
Well, it’s 50:50
...
Me:
What do you wish we’d done more of?
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C.:
Probably more of the circle game. I liked that.
Me:
Yes? Even though it’s the sharing bit that you’re kind of unsure about?
C:
Sharing quite perks me up but too much sharing, then kind of perks me a bit
down.” (C. Year 4)
Even though sharing with others was something with which C. struggled with at times, one of
the favourite things we did was a sharing activity. Another child, S. in Year 3, remembered
an aspect of working with someone else.
“Me: What do you remember most about doing the work with me? What do you
remember most?
S.:
Doing the poses joint poses.
Me:
Doing the ones, you working with somebody else?
S.:
Yes.
Me:
Okay. Were they your favourite things?
S.:
Well, I’m not sure.
Me:
Why do you remember doing the work with someone else?
S.:
Because it was fun.
Me:
What was fun about it?
S.:
Making up the pose and also I think making- doing it with someone else, also
made it fun because like sometimes when I do things on my own even if I’m
making it up or something, I prefer it if I’m doing it with someone else because
then I have someone else to help me think about it as well.
...
Me:
How easy was it sharing with someone else?
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S.:
Well, sometimes I find it easier to work on my own but other times I find it
easier to work with other people, like when there’s still a lot of thinking
involved and that had a lot of thinking, so it was fun. And quite easy to do.”
(S. Year 3)
The relationships that S. had formed with her peers seemed to be important to her.
Collaborating with someone else added to her sense of enjoyment, although she maintained
that at times she preferred to work alone. Another child, C. Year 6, spoke about working with
a partner.
“Me: This is about balancing. And you’ve written, “I think it’s easier to balance, to
be by myself when we do balancing because I’m scared that they’re going to
fall on me.”
C.:
Yes.
M:
[laughs] Are you just agreeing with that? Is there anything else to add to that?
C.:
I think it’s like easier because...by yourself, because then you don’t have the
other...if they’re like holding onto you, you don’t have the other people pulling
you over, which...is annoying.” (C. Year 6)
Working with others in poses generated mixed responses, particularly from the older children.
MI., in Year 6, spoke about his experiences making up poses and balances in a small group.
“MI.: I would like to do it in a group. I found out some people were very light and
some people were very heavy. Yeah, so what I was sort of saying like in some
balancing parts like I would find it quite relaxing but in some balancing parts
it’s not that relaxing. And yeah, I found out that some people are like really
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heavy and I find it difficult to work with them because they're quite heavy.
But like with the people who are light it’s a lot easier to do positions and
balancing with them.
Me:
And is the light and heavy to do with how big they are or is it something
different?
MI.:
I'm not sure.” (MI. Year 6)
The idea of ‘light’ and ‘heavy’ could have been a comment about physical weight. Equally it
may have been a reference to whom in his group was pulling their weight, who was
contributing. The older children did quite a lot of work with partners, as they explored ideas
of recognising their own emotions and others’ as well as working through movements. They
chose to write and reflect on their experiences.
“Working with a partner is different than without in a good way.” (M. Year 6)
“It was harder working with a partner because they might not watch out for other
people.” (A. Year 6)
“Working with a partner is harder than I thought they might be at different levels to
you.” (A. Year 5)
“Very easy if you look carefully at other people.” (L. Year 6)
That last quote came from a reflective drawing by L. from a session where we explored
relationships with peers. L. recognised, that in order to perceive another’s emotional state,
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she needed to look carefully. She needed to be aware of that person, and attentive to her.
FIGURE 53 L'S "IT IS EASY IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT OTHER PEOPLE"
As well as active movements and perception of emotions, the groups explored being still and
quiet both on their own and in relationship with others: “it was very peaceful, it sort of felt
like the minute was just going to keep going, it’s much easier with a partner” (C. Year 6). In
some groups children found it easier with a partner or in a small group, and in others on their
own.
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“What about with a partner? Before, all the children except R. thought that it would
be easier with a partner. Room observed to be still.
Afterwards all the children except for M. found it harder: “if you wobble and your
partner wobbles.” All pairs chose to sit down. Pairs given a piece of paper to share to
draw being still on.” (Field Notes phase 1)
Animals were a theme that was explored in Science Week, as well as in sessions. MI. (Year
6) said that he remembered the group work from Science Week most out of all his
experiences.
“Me: Why do you remember that the most?
MI.:
I just found it really fun.
Me:
Yeah. Okay. What was fun about it?
MI.:
Actually acting out and pretending to be different animals and being able to eat
other people in the class.
Me:
I should note we didn't actually eat anyone, did we?
MI.:
No.” (MI. Year 6)
Co-operation between the children was important when they were working together. With the
youngest ones I actively encouraged this, and saw the results when they decided to work
together without direction.
“Again lots of verbal encouragement as the children found shapes, looked at each
other, tried different ones...For the snake three children made a long snake then others
joined in (all initiated by them, I was just holding the book and sitting). Choosing
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parts was done as before, if a child (or two children) wanted a part then they got it, if
not they discussed it themselves and sorted it out.” (Field Notes phase 1)
The oldest groups had different dynamics. They were able to choose both who they worked
with, and how they worked as they produced material for display in the classroom. The notes
below came from the first of three sessions in one week.
“The boys MI., J., P. and JO. looked like they were being rowdy, as they were trying
group balances but were in actual fact paying very good attention to each other, being
careful with each other and working well as a team.
The girls A., EL., E. and K. chose to each work on a different feeling, draw and write
and take pictures of each one. They also worked well, quietly and industriously
throughout the session and got cows.
B., T. and R. were messing about a bit…They saw the balancing groups and also
started to do that but were not paying attention to each other and T. managed to headbutt R.. After that they began to work a little more carefully, and by the end were
collaborating well.” (Field Notes phase 3)
Obviously it was not ideal that any group was working in a way that was not safe. The three
boys, B. R. and T., were all Year 6 and had a tendency to be boisterous both with me and in
the class generally. T. had only recently joined the school and so had not worked with me at
all before. At the beginning of the next day I reinforced the need to pay attention to each
other as well as to themselves through playing a ‘clap game’ I first saw in a dance workshop
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aimed at young men at risk of mental health problems. The leader called it ‘pass the clap,’
however I chose to change the name when working with primary age children.
“We played the clap game– a way of ensuring that we are aware of each other–
explained the rules to the new ones (T. and C.). Enforcing again the need to be aware
of each other particularly when balancing or climbing on each other.” (Field Notes
phase 3)
This awareness of each other was demonstrated by one group, as they chose to write how they
felt as they worked with each other in the positions they had made up.
“MI.: “I feel quite safe because I can hold onto JO. If JO. wasn’t there I would feel
scared.”
JO.:
“I feel safe but worried because I might fall off, but MI is there to hold me, so
I’m also safe. I feel like I’m in the tardis.”
J.:
“When JO. is standing on my back, I feel jolly. It doesn’t hurt at all.”
P.:
“I feel quite worried because when MI. stands on my back he keeps on
wobbling & I think he might fall off.”” (Display, class 4)
Looking back over all his work, one child, M. (Year 6), said that the sessions working on the
display were the aspect he had liked best. He had chosen to work on his own, and yet it was
the cooperation between the children that he commented on.
“M:
My favourite thing was when we all did the different parts of the display.
Me:
Okay, why did you like that?
M.:
I liked it because everybody got to put in their own thing and everybody got to
say like what their favourite thing was.
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Me:
‘kay. And was it nice that everyone got their own bit to do?
M.:
Yes.” (M. Year 6)
The relationship building did not only happen in the sessions, but was reinforced by my
presence in the school outside of the sessions.
“Pipe-cleaner people did not always match shapes with body, but all joined in
(including L. who did not last week– this week she sat next to me and has talked to me
every day in the playground).” (Field Notes phase 1)
The fact that L. chose to sit next to me in the circle after talking to me in the playground may
have been important to her in her choice to participate actively in the session. Where I sat in
the circle was important for both relationships and encouraging behaviour. I would often
position myself next to those likely to need more attention to ensure that they did not get
distracted.
“More behavioural issues in this group– I sat near A., which helped- he worked hard.”
(Field Notes phase 1)
“P. on one side, A. on the other, J. wanted to sit next to me, I asked him to sit opposite
me.” (Field Notes phase 1)
Sometimes the quieter children wanted to be at my side: “R. sat next to me” (Field Notes). I
noted this because he was always seemed reserved, quiet and shy. His mother had died two
years prior to the time of the study, and, according to his teacher, this had had an effect on his
confidence as well as his schoolwork. In one session at the end of the year, R. drew me this
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picture in addition to the work from the session. I had told him a story about reindeer in class
that week.
FIGURE 54 R.'S REINDEER
The interactions of the children as groups were also important. The very youngest group were
new to the school, and none of the children had met me before. During the first sessions they
were unsure what to expect, but quickly settled in to the work.
“They would choose the story to be the animals in. They were all still in mouse pose–
I also wrote down all the names I just about know this group know (3rd visit). All the
children joined in. All the children were engaged, listening doing and smiley.” (Field
Notes phase 1)
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As well as settling into, or back into the work, the children were developing relationships with
each other. This did not only happen in these sessions, of course, but the sessions allowed me
to witness it.
“The same procedure was used to choose parts and there was a lot of co-operation. If
two children wanted a part, they decided between themselves, and whoever did not get
it got first choice the next time. A lot of kindness between the children.” (Field Notes
phase 1)
Although at times they did need reminding of the need to be aware of each other.
“At the end of the session I told the class that it was not okay that they made so much
noise as if they were talking they were not able to pay attention to themselves, and
they might overstretch and hurt themselves, or lose their balance and hurt someone
else. I need them to be safe and to listen. Next time I wanted us to explore how they
know when they are stretching– and how they know when someone else is stretching
and work in pairs so it will be very important that they pay attention.” (Field Notes
phase 3)
They were also kind, and polite to me: “they then got 5 minutes to draw/write and 5 minutes
to rest, which they did very well. They rolled the mats, I thanked them for the work, they
thanked me for the sessions” (Field Notes phase 1). I felt privileged to have had the
opportunity to work with them over two and a half years. Although working at my children’s
school meant that there were boundary issues with my role as parent as well as researcher, the
trust that developed because they saw me there every day, they knew that I would not ask
them to share their thoughts, dreams and feelings then disappear: “at times behaviour has been
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an issue but I am pleased that the relationships with the kids and the building on each session
and those from last year have enables them to be very open and accepting of the approach”
(Reflective Journal).
In general, interest in the work was good, and the children were willing to learn, to listen and
to explore the material: “bit of bouncing about but waiting to listen to what to do...A lot of
care and effort” (Field Notes). Feedback from staff was also positive, one comment made by
a teaching assistant who had not worked with me before and saw the children in the sessions
for the first time: “teaching assistant surprised at how into it they all were.” The other class
teachers all gave positive comments too:
“I have talked with most teachers- feedback has been very positive. Class 2 have
enjoyed the sessions, Mrs C. has been happy to have me have half the class. Miss W.
was pleased that class 3 were so well behaved and did so much exercise. She said that
they all looked forward to Wednesday afternoons. Miss T said that the class were just
starting to be back at the level they were at the end of last year. She was happy with
how A. was integrating and how their behaviour was improving.” (Reflective Journal)
Throughout the study I found it was the relationships that I had built up with the staff and the
children through my roles at the school that were key to positive interactions that allowed the
groups to explore the material. The time spent building these relationships and gaining their
trust, meant that the children were likely to be less fearful of a reaction to what they might do
or say, and allowed themselves to be creative and honest (Punch, 2002).
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Somatic movement education (SME) is about more than just movement education, as it
focuses on self-awareness, and awareness of others, and the relationship an individual has
with the world around her (Fogel, 2009; Hartley, 1989; Hartley, 2006). The relationship
building aspect of SME is fostered through a non-judgemental acceptance of the individual,
and a person-centered approach (Kirschenbaum & Henderson, 1990).
A somatic and Person-Centred approach may help integration and inclusion of those with
special educational needs into mainstream classes if “inclusive education for children with
SEN [Special Educational Needs] in PE is concerned with minimizing the number of pupils
who, because of the nature of the curriculum, have negative experiences” (Vickerman, 2007,
p. 389). This is an area that is thought of as challenging, particularly for children that have
emotional and behavioural difficulties, as there is a concern from teachers that including such
pupils could have a detrimental effect on the rest of the class (Morley et al, 2005). Inclusion
of children within a mainstream session is a concept that teachers can understand as “a
normative concept, to which it would always be possible to make further progress” (ibid, p.
91). Morley et al found that teachers believed that statemented pupils who were given
assistance in other lessons, were often left to cope in physical education.
Even within a SME context integration was not always easy, and I reflected on a struggle that
I had with behaviour-management with the oldest children, as some members of the class
went through a particularly difficult phase not only with me, but also with the class teacher. I
became very aware of the differences between managing challenging behaviour as an
authoritative teacher figure, as a practitioner, and also as a researcher.
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“I am aware that by not allowing them to participate this exacerbates the feelings of
exclusion, of not being wanted, of messing things up, but as a teacher needing to retain
control of the class I want to send them out, I need to show them I am in control and
that disruptive, dangerous and unacceptable behaviour cannot be tolerated.
Where is my role as a researcher in this? To be honest, it would be to work only with
a small group of “good” children who would be able to listen, to work, to express
themselves...or as a therapist with the “difficult” ones to work individually or one-toone. M. is a child who, along with his brother, has been identified by me as a
possibility for this type of work.” (Reflective Journal)
Integrating pupils with special educational needs (SEN), whether those needs are physical,
emotional or behavioural, into mainstream lessons can represent challenge for teachers in all
subjects, and can be a “daunting task” (Bailey & Robertson, 2000 p. 5) in physical education.
It is important to note also, that children with SEN do not all fit into neat categories. Those
with physical disabilities or motor difficulties need a different level and kind of support from
those with emotional behavioural difficulties, learning difficulties and sensory impairment.
Children who exhibited behavioural difficulties were reported as being the most challenging
to work with and plan for (Morley et al, 2005).
5.3 CASE STUDIES ILLUSTRATING THERAPEUTIC ASPECTS
There were two children that stood out for me at the school as in need of a more intentional
therapeutic approach. One child, M., was in Year 4 when I first met him, and I was told
informally that he had a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He
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was very talkative, and could be disruptive in class. In the first sessions at the school, before
this research project started, I found that he responded well to vigorous exercise and the space
to be quiet and still. Again I was told informally that after the sessions his behaviour was
improved in class. At some point I was told that he had been put onto Ritalin, however the
class teacher and the teaching assistant felt that it was impacting negatively on his behaviour.
The second child, A., mentioned previously, was in reception when I first met him. He was
displaying behaviour that I associated with autism spectrum disorder from my personal and
professional experience. Initially he isolated himself from the class, but as he grew older he
began to be more and more disruptive. Throughout the project he was not supported by an
additional staff member, and I was not, as a visiting researcher, given access to his diagnosis
or the special educational needs records for either of the boys. After the study, M. moved
onto a selective secondary school, and A. left in Y3. These two boys are brothers.
5.3.1 CHILD A.
Before starting this research project I had considered the possibility of including therapeutic
work alongside the educational group sessions. I wondered about the possibility of offering
one-to-one sessions with A. I reflected at the time:
“Need to be aware of all the issues this has for me– emotional response as I
sense/feel/project similarities to my godson, not aware of parental involvement, do not
see them in the playground, do not know where they are on acceptance/denial line of
problems.” (Reflexive Journal phase 1)
From my training (Sumar, 2007) and experience working with children with special needs, I
was aware that parental acceptance of a child’s disability can be key to allowing them room to
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develop. If a parent expects and perceives their child to be ‘normal’ then offering a
therapeutic intervention may be counter-productive. This view was not shared by another
parent, an SEN teacher, who was working with A. voluntarily.
“Had a quick conversation with NH– in her opinion not ASD [autism spectrum
disorder], I related story of J.– also had imaginative play, humour but as older more
and more obvious ASD. She questioned the place of environmental factors on
behaviour but did not know the parental situation either. I did not see her to be aware
of the need to be careful about parent attitude– but accepted it when I mentioned it.”
(Reflective Journal phase 1)
Meanwhile, the more I worked with A. within the group sessions, the more his behaviour was
seen to be out of the range of normal.
“A. ?asd? more evident this year that ?something? is not quite right. Last year he was
also different but very happy and engaging and eager to be part of what was going on,
just not always so able. This year he is less willing to make eye contact. In out of
school contexts if he hears an answer he doesn’t like he breaks eye contact and the
interaction (e.g. I walked the dogs to school with my daughter for a few days– when I
saw him one afternoon he asked me with eye contact where the dogs were and I said
that they were at home he looked down walked away very abruptly, not interested)
feedback from Miss T is that peer relations are less good this year he is starting to get
angry and it is hard with new children in the class. He needs more attention.”
(Reflective Journal)
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Within the group sessions A. was included by me and the staff there with me “Miss T sat next
to A.– who is in need of more support” (Field Notes, phase 1). We ensured that he was not
left out, as the differences between his behaviour and that of the others in the class was
becoming more and more pronounced.
“Played game with ball and names to take list but this time asked the children to
balance the ball, say their name then throw and sit. Most did very well, no one threw
to A.– I did- he was placed at the other end of the room so I walked nearer as I wanted
to ensure that he would have a good chance of catching from a soft easy throw and I
can’t throw that far accurately...I did the same for R. who was last as I didn’t want to
make it different for A.” (Reflective Journal)
Sometimes he would join in, but often he would not.
“Stand sit, clap balance on bottoms- some children really watching and listening,
others not. Lots of playing with mats. A. was circling the class throughout this.”
(Field Notes phase 1)
“A. had laid down and wrapped himself in his mat and stayed still– occasionally
making noises.” (Field Notes phase 1)
“Asked class to get into pairs– there was an even number, and J. was to work with A.,
but A. did not join in.” (Field Notes phase 1)
At times although he said he wished to join in, he still did not.
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“The pairs showed their poses, all clapped. R. did a strong balance, P. didn’t, however
at the end P. wanted to show being an animal instead. J. showed a balance on his own.
A. chose not to however he had asked earlier if we could play the game where we
show and tell.” (Field Notes phase 1)
I did my best to balance A.’s needs with those of the group.
“As the group came in I asked them to take off their shoes and socks, and I saw that A.
had gone straight to sit on the beanbag and was looking over at my things. I went up
to him and said that he had been doing such a good job of guarding my pipe-cleaners
last week that I had wanted him to look after my things again and thanked him. Miss
T had said that being in a circle was hard for A., so I had placed the beanbag behind
me so that I was a protection/shield. I wasn’t sure how much support there would be
from the teacher with me. I was very glad that I had done this.” (Reflective Journal)
This happened the week that the supply teacher came down with the group. This session was
commented on earlier, as she did not respond to A. or the other children well. Rather than
allowing him to join in where he could, and take time out if needed, she expected him to
behave like a ‘normal’ or neuro-typical child.
“We then came to a circle with A. behind me, and I asked them to vote on a story.
The children chose on a bear hunt (Rosen & Illus. Oxenbury, 1989). They all knew
the story so I asked them to find a space so we could go through the animals/ways of
walking. Most of the children were joining in and enjoying themselves. A. picked up
the beanbag in his teeth to be a bear– as I was asking him not to R. tried to bite it too.
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I was with A. and enjoyed seeing him join in and move with the children. Mrs F came
along and spoke very harshly to him (A.) and told him to behave or come and sit down
next to her. I didn’t particularly like the way she spoke to him. Some of the children
sat down near me, others were moving about being the characters, Mrs F tried to get
the children to sit in a circle, but I said that they needed space to move if they wanted
to. A. was sitting in front of me in a group of children which I perceived to be good
progress.” (Field Notes)
This progress continued during the remaining sessions, with A. choosing to join in with the
activities more and more, although often this was at my prompting or encouragement.
“A. was being talkative and fidgety and the TA [teaching assistant] got up and took
him from his mat. I asked A. if he wanted to share my mat and he came to mine.”
(Field Notes)
“I started to show them the organ doll. I showed the brain, then opened the shirt to
show the ribs. I asked if they could feel their ribs and they did. A. said that he
couldn’t feel his so I showed him.” (Field Notes).
“J. and A. chose to continue modelling. L. and K. took a while to model, so only had
a short time to draw. I asked A. if he wanted to play show and tell and he did and I
asked if he wanted to go first– on his own or with somebody else. He wanted to go on
his own first. When we gathered back A. went first, then most of the children went in
pairs, some on their own.” (Field Notes)
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I made sure that I fed back from the sessions to the teachers. After school Miss T said that
they were all really enjoying it, and was pleased that A. was joining in more and more.
However, his contributions were not always positive. In the class on organs, W. answered
‘skin’ as an organ of the body. “A. said that that was not inside, I said it was a very good
answer as skin is our biggest organ and is where we stop and the world begins” (Field Notes).
When a child, L. moved in the circle, “A. commented “that’s not kidneys.” I explicitly said
that here anyone can do anything, and that was how L. was her kidneys. We all accept what
each other does” (Field Notes). Towards the end of the sessions I reflected:
“A. is challenging in this group which is large anyway. In part this is because he
commented on what the other children were doing or saying negatively. He may be
better in a smaller group, or ideally one-to-one before reintegration into the larger
group.” (Reflective Journal)
This had been my original inclination with him. I was also aware that his presence in the
group brought up other issues for me, as a parent.
“Witnessing him in this class has made me question how he influences and affects the
other children’s education and self-esteem and ease of expression, particularly those
children who are less easy about voicing their opinion. My own daughter may be in a
large class with him next year, and working with him now has made me question how
happy I am with this.” (Reflective Journal)
5.3.2 CHILD M.
At the start of the sessions in phase 1, I made the following comment about child M:
“apparently has a diagnosis of ADHD but TA [teaching assistant] very unhappy with how
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medication has affected him– put him back a long way– worried about the effect it has had on
his brother A.” (Reflective Journal). The teaching assistant took me aside at the start of the
first session to inform me this, as although I had worked with M. in yoga sessions over the
previous year, she felt that that he had changed. His behaviour tended to be worse in class, so
that he would arrive to the sessions already in trouble for disrupting lessons.
“As this group came in Miss W. had words with M. to “make this a good session” bad
day for him? I asked him to choose what to give out– he chose paper.” (Field Notes)
“The TA came in saying that the class may not last the whole afternoon due to their
behaviour so far that day. I asked who she was worried about, and she said that M. had
been getting on her nerves so I asked him to hand out pencils so he could make a good
start in the afternoon.” (Field Notes)
During the sessions with me in phase 1 M. worked well. He joined in, and though talkative,
was not particularly disruptive. The first session was on finding shapes to be still. The group
was asked to find ways to be still by themselves, and with a partner.
“M. talked a lot, really enjoyed the being still. In pairs he and MI. chose to sit and
hold hands and lean back.” (Field Notes)
In the session on balance, M. said of balance that “people do it in circuses” (Field Notes).
“We started with balancing on bottoms in boat pose, squats, on toes on heels,
changing between lots of chatter a bit of falling over backwards, jumping feet
together, standing up. Standing still with eyes closed hands up– mix of those who
preferred to stand still with eyes closed and those who preferred eyes open. On one
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leg– standing– falling to one side of foot then the other– righting reactions etc.–all
except M. found it easier to balance toe side than big-toe-side.” (Field Notes)
Later in this session the children worked in small groups to find balances. In pairs or threes to
show balances. I noted that “B. and P. and I.– made M.’s image” (Field Notes), which I
commented at the time, pleasing M.
FIGURE 55 M.’S BALANCE PICTURE
The informal approach I use to working with righting reactions and equilibrium responses is
based on work by Bainbridge-Cohen (1993). She developed this as a response to a frustration
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with the traditional approach of viewing these as static, isolated reactions rather than as
integrated and efficient movements. In the traditional rehabilitation approach the reactions
are studied in their pathological states with children and adults with brain dysfunction as well
as in normally developing infants. A more detailed study was able to be made by working
with fully aware and able-bodied adults as well as skilled movers (dancers, athletes) and
children. Bainbridge-Cohen believes that “underneath ALL successful, effortless movement
are integrated reflexes, righting reactions and equilibrium responses” (1993, p. 122). The fact
that M. found it difficult to balance and to fall in the ‘normal’ pattern is an indicator that his
development has been, for whatever reason, also outside the ‘normal’ range. With bodywork
of this kind, although there is an ‘ideal’ spiral of developmental patterns and movements that
we all move through, it is never too late to go back to and integrate a ‘missing’ pattern
(Brook, 2001). Those of us with developmental differences (for example with autism
spectrum disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) may need more support and
encouragement to fully embody and integrate the missing patterns (ibid).
The primitive reflexes are those reflexes that appear at or before birth, and are usually
integrated into movement patterns in the first few months. They are controlled by the brain
stem and the spine, and are elicited through stimuli (Hartley, 1989). Reflexes are considered
to be pathological if they usually or always occur when exposed to a specific stimulus. A
developed and integrated reflex will become part of the automatic movement repertoire, and
can occur with or without stimulus and in any plane in relation to gravity (ibid). If not
developed, that movement pattern will not be part of the automatic movement repertoire.
This can result in, for example, the absence of total flexion or extension of a limb, so that
expression and movement is neither skilful nor graceful. Movements seem static, and tone is
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not balanced or is inconsistent (Brook, 2001). Individuals with brain dysfunction of some
kind would manifest these issues (Sumar, 2007). These reflexes underlie the righting
reactions and equilibrium responses. Righting reactions are more advanced movement
patterns than the primitive reflexes, and are controlled mostly in the mid-brain (BainbridgeCohen, 1993). They start to develop at birth, and although most dominant at about a year,
remain active throughout life. Righting reactions include those that bring our heads into the
vertical, and those that bring the head and torso into alignment. They underlie our ability to
raise our heads and keep our bodies upright against gravity in all positions, and are necessary
for locomotion in all forms (ibid). They precede the equilibrium responses, which are
automatic responses to maintain balance when the centre of gravity is moved through space.
These start to develop at about six months. These patterns, when integrated together with
postural tone and physiological flexion and extension, allow us to develop the relationship
with the world and space around us, and move in it and with those within it (Hartley, 1989).
The session with M.’s group on balance included playing and exploring ways to balance and
to fall out of balance. We did not explore any of the movement patterns described in depth,
but instead played at falling to the side, to the back and to the front and allowing ourselves to
right and to find equilibrium. This kind of movement play allows a sense to be developed of
what comes easily and feels ‘natural’ and what does not. If I were to move into therapeutic
one-to-one work with M., these early reflexes and patterns would be a useful starting place, as
they underlie both movement, and choice of whether to engage or not. “M. observed that it
was hard to be still standing up because he felt like he was losing his balance” (Field Notes).
Observing how an individual moves through this type of exploration, and verbalises it
afterwards gives the practitioner a clue as to how and where they are most integrated and most
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in need of support. One principle of integrative bodywork is to start from a place of support,
so rather than initially tackling a difficult movement, instead we would work from the
preceding place.
By phase 3, M. was in Year 6. Although very bright, he was getting into more and more
trouble in class, and was presenting to me as a very unhappy child. One session included an
exercise based around recognising and learning to regulate emotion. The first stage was to
identify things that made us happy in a way that could be seen physiologically. This can be
seen through postural changes, a relaxing of the muscles around the eyes, and a shining in the
eyes.
“I thought it would be a good thing to know how you can tell when someone is talking
about something that makes them happy– your face changes and your eyes shine. I
used the example of walking. For me, going for a walk doesn’t, but walking by the
sea does. I gave them 3 minutes to think of 5 or 6 things that made them feel happy
(try not to have people or animals).
M. did not want to join in said the only thing that made him happy was dying. I said it
was about being able to tell when someone else was happy.
After the first person, we stopped, and some people had found it easy, others hadn’t. I
allowed pairs that had not got on so well to become threes with someone else.
I checked in with the class teacher and told her that M. wanted to die. This isn’t
unusual for him.” (Field Notes and Reflections)
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Obviously, it is not healthy for an 11 year old boy to speak of dying as the only thing that
would make him happy, and this, along with his other behaviours, marked him out to me as a
child that would benefit from one-to-one therapeutic intervention. The tension between my
role as educator for all the class, and the need to be in a therapist role for some was
exacerbated by my additional role as a researcher. As the practitioner, it is challenging to
strike the balance as co-regulator for a group, and behaviour issues from M. among others
also exacerbated this.
In addition to this incident, he could be quite disruptive in this phase of sessions, and talked
about himself to excuse his actions, by stating that he had problems, that it wasn’t his fault.
In conversation with his teacher, we both agreed that it seemed as though he was parroting
what he had been told, that he had problems, he wasn’t normal. She questioned the influence
of his mother in this. He was sometimes excluded by the other boys in the class, and his
behaviour meant that he was excluded from some activities. However, at other times they did
include him, for example in the session described above, “R. did a great job at including M.
into a 3 with himself and B.” (Field Notes phase 3)
He was not the only child to misbehave with me and with other teachers.
“M. and A. were asked to sit out before we’d even stood up. I said if they sat quietly
and watched they could join in again. A. wanted to join in, not watch, and continued
to say so, to talk, to kick, to disrupt. M. continually talked, and was disruptive also.
B., R. and B. were very silly, chatty and kept winding up each other and A. and M..”
(Field Notes phase 3)
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I worked with the class for their last lesson on Friday afternoon during phase 3, and at times
found myself in the middle of an on-going situation that I had not been aware of initially.
“The class teacher said afterwards that this had been an on-going situation for the
class. This week A. and M. had been winding each other up, and B., R. and B. had
been winding them up all week. In fact golden time was cut short and the class sat in
a circle as the behaviour as a class was not ok-towards M. in particular. It was said
that although it was all right for someone to be upset, it was not all right for them to
run out the room. My presence meant that the teacher could go out, but in some cases
she can’t. They also talked about the type of behaviour that made people want to be a
friend, and the type of behaviour that was unkind. Interestingly M. said that he got
wound up when he was sad and people thought he was stroppy- interesting
considering the work in the class on showing and sharing feelings and emotions. The
topic tied in to class politics although this had not been intentionally planned.” (Field
Notes)
In addition to the class behaviour and rules, the disruptiveness had the potential to make the
movement sessions, which were already in a crowded space, dangerous.
“A. fell into K. and hurt her shoulder, and then fell into her again. This happened
whilst I was doing my best to get them to be quiet and was dealing with M. who I had
asked to sit at the side.” (Field Notes)
I found the situation with M. quite hard to handle in the last phase of sessions. I was
presented with a child who described himself as ‘mad’ and ‘lost’. As a therapist, I wanted to
have the opportunity to work with him, to help, but it was not always possible within the
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group sessions or as part of this research project. In addition, I was unsure whether I was
willing to involve myself with him, his mother and the school in yet another role.
FIGURE 56 M. 'MAD' AND 'LOST'
One time, I talked to him after the session.
“After the class they have golden time, except M. who had lost that privilege earlier in
the week. He sat on a chair. I wrote up notes and looked through the children’s work.
M. had written how much he liked stretching and doing the moving and remembering
how much he had got out of it last year, and focused so well and worked so hard I
went to talk to him. I told him that I had read what he’d written and remembered how
much he had liked it last year, particularly the fast bouncy stuff and asked him if he
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knew what he could do so that he could do it lots again this year. He told me that he
wished he was normal, that he had problems and was stupid and silly. I asked him if
he knew what was normal– he replied that everything was not normal, he wished he
would die, everyone hated him, he was a ‘prat’, he lost golden time every week and
began to get upset repeating again and again “I’ve got problems,” (pointing at his
head) “I’m not normal.” I had not intended to upset him– on the contrary, I was
wanting to let him know that I remembered how well he had done and give him
encouragement to do so again. He then got up and stormed out. Miss W asked him to
come in. He said he wanted time out to think, which I told her, but she said for him to
come in at once. He did, kicked the chair across the room, and she took him out. I
stayed with the rest of the class. When she came back I asked if he was all right– she
had told me straight after the session that he’d had a very bad day yesterday–
screaming and kicking all day– she said she found it disturbing that he says he has
problems and that he wants to put a knife in his heart, he wants to die, he’s not normal,
and said that it is his mother who says all these things to him as she wants a label for
him. I explained what he’d written, and what I had been saying to him before he
kicked off, and she said that he is just a normal boy– being told he has problems and
issues does nothing to help him on a day to day level.
After the session, reading through the work of the children I was touched that so many
wrote that they enjoyed it– in fact the majority of the class worked well and carefully,
but the behaviour of M. and A. meant that during the time a large part of my attention
had to be focused on them– and when it wasn’t (or was only on one of them) an
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accident happened. This is an issue for the class in general- not just for me!”
(Reflective Journal)
M. was able to use the drawing time to help process his emotions, and so I adjusted the
sessions to allow him more time for this, taking a much more intentionally ‘teacher’ approach.
“More hands-up taking it turns– maybe also let the children make notes as they go–
particularly M., so rather than saying out loud his thoughts he can write them down”
(Reflective Journal). In the final three sessions, which were focused on producing posters for
a display board, “M. was on his own– was upset but I talked to him reminding him how well
he had worked on his own before, drawing and writing” (Field Notes). M. chose to work on
alone, as did one other girl. “The groups all worked differently. M. worked very well on his
own- drawing poses, talking about it, I awarded him a flying cow at the end and made sure his
effort was recognised” (Field Notes). As well as producing a poster by himself, M. verbalised
and shared to the group his experiences of the things he liked best from the previous day: “I
liked mouse pose. It’s hard in the beginning like for the first 20 seconds then I sort of settle
and really like it” (Field Notes).
M. chose to talk to me at the end of the project, to share his feelings about the work over the
previous years. In this extract (also used earlier in section 5.2) he seemed to appreciate the
emphasis on every child’s view being valid.
“M.:
My favourite thing was when we all did the different parts of the display.
Me:
Okay, why did you like that?
M.:
I liked it because everybody got to put in their own thing and everybody got to
say like what their favourite thing was.
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Me:
‘kay. And was it nice that everyone got their own bit to do?
M.:
Yes.” (M. Year 6)
The exercise in how to identify things that make them happy was designed to enable the class
to begin learning how to regulate their emotional state and move towards self-regulation.
Because of the difficulties the class had been having as a group, they also were able to use this
exercise to impact positively on their friendships. M. identified that listening to music made
him happy. In his interview he spoke about this.
“Me: Was that a useful thing, so that if you’re feeling sad you could do something
that would make you feel...?
M.:
Yes.
Me:
Do you still use that?
M.:
Yes.” (M. Year 6)
He verbalised how he found the drawing and journaling aspect of the work.
“M.:
I quite liked drawing about it because I liked doing drawings to explain my
emotions and stuff.
Me:
Okay. Do you find that helpful? Yes? Why is that helpful?
M.:
Because I enjoy doing drawings and when I draw it sort of calms me down.”
(M. Year 6)
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FIGURE 57 M.’S POSTER
He seemed to get a lot out of the work on feelings, although it had been hard work at times for
me.
“M.:
I wish we had done more of the emotion stuff, because I quite liked that.
Me:
Okay. Why did you like that?
M.:
Because it made me understand about other people’s feelings and stuff.
Me:
Okay. That’s quite a big thing to be understanding. How did it help you
understand about other people’s feelings?
M.:
Because sometimes I just do stuff and don’t realise I’m hurting other people’s
feelings. So that sort of helped. So I knew to try not to do something that
would hurt someone’s feelings.
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Me:
Did it help...we did a lot about recognising what other people were feeling as
well, was that helpful?
M.:
Yes.
Me:
And I remember...
M.:
Very helpful.” (M. Year 6)
The moment when the client takes responsibility for her own process rather than rely on
direction is often the aim of the practitioner or therapist, and is called self-regulation. A client
who is aware of what she needs and how to ask for it, is one who is developing their own
sense of self and resources. M. illustrated his understanding of this concept whilst speaking at
the end of the sessions. When asked what he felt he’d learnt with me, M. was again very
eloquent.
“M.:
I learnt how when we’d...whatever we do, how much we stretch, we always
need to be careful of ourselves and everybody around us and if it’s...if you’re
asking us to do something that’s stretching us too far, we should always just do
it as far as we can but not so much it hurts.
Me:
That’s really useful, you have to take control and be responsible for yourself,
don’t you?
M.:
Yes.
Me:
That’s a good thing to learn. Is there anything else you want to say about the
stuff that we did?
M.:
I found it very, very fun.
Me:
What was fun? What do you mean by fun?
M.:
Everything.
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Me:
Everything, okay. Is there anything else you want to say?
M.:
I liked...I think it was the last year, it might have been the year before, when
we learnt about different parts of our body and we did these things when we
made different...the things we thought were important in our body out of the
plasticine, and I remember I made the heart. And I made it like a drum
because it’s a beat.” (M. Year 6)
I was very touched by M.’s responses. Although I had perceived him to be getting something
positive from the work with me, the extent to which he had internalised his body awareness,
the responsibility for regulating his own feelings (by listening to music, quoted previously)
and becoming aware of others maps well onto Fogel’s (2009) principles of therapeutic
bodywork. He was able to use his experiences within the group for his own therapeutic
process. He used the sessions as a resource, allowed himself to slow down and become more
aware of his body, to verbalise his experiences, make links and boundaries with those
experiences and the rest of his life. As can be seen he was also starting to self-regulate and
re-engage.
5.4 SUMMARY
It must be noted that the sessions with the children at the school were not intended to be
therapeutic, but educational. These were not children deemed in need of an intervention, but
an ordinary mix of individuals. As “every educator...has some implicit understanding of what
education is or what it should be like” (Biesta, 1994, p. 299), it must be stated that my training
and experience as a therapist had implications for my view of what education should be. My
intention was educational, however when working with the children I held myself in the mode
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of therapeutic practitioner, and as such, similarities with therapeutic process occur. This was
the boundary of educator/therapist, of which I was aware of throughout my time in the school.
I do not see this to be the same as the therapeutic education described by Ecclestone and
Hayes (2004) who speak more of a ‘therapeutic turn’ that they see education to have taken.
Somatic movement can be used therapeutically as a tool to rediscover lost embodied selfawareness (Fogel, 2009). It can also be used educationally, however, as can be seen, somatic
movement education may also have therapeutic benefits (Hartley, 2004). As a practitioner, I
had to be aware of this, and ‘hold’ an educational space in a therapeutic manner (Rogers,
1967). In order for me to do this, I needed to have a developed personal practice, and
resources in place to aid me, such as supervision and a reflective practice (Cox, 1988). If
these resources are not present, then it is possible for the participants and the practitioner to
become ‘lost’ in the process (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993). The boundary between educators and
therapists in somatic movement may be fluid, however in education, teachers are not yet
expected nor supported to behave therapeutically towards the children in their care. Instead
they are advised to be reflective practitioners, and to promote reflective learning. The next
chapter discusses reflection and embodied reflection within the context of education.
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CHAPTER 6 EMBODIMENT AND REFLECTION
6.1 THE NEED FOR REFLEXIVITY AND A REFLECTIVE APPROACH
‘Reflective practice’ is a term that is used a great deal in contemporary educational discourse,
so much so that it “has become a slogan” (Calderhead, 1989, p. 46). For example,
Tabachnick and Zeichner state that “there is not a single teacher educator who would say that
he or she is not concerned about preparing teachers who are reflective” (1991, p. 1). Weiss
states that “mental reflection is a very dubious process, always prone to bend and distort
towards social desirability, defence of our behaviour, and habitual thought patterns” (Weiss,
2009, p. 9). Whilst the importance of reflective practice is widely accepted in principle, what
actually construes effective, critical reflection is often loosely defined (Hatton & Smith,
1995). Consider six discussions of the subject. First, Calderhead discusses reflective
teaching within the context of teacher education. He defines reflection as “a process of
becoming aware of one’s context, of the influence of societal and ideological constraints”
(1989, p. 44). Second, Cordingley associates reflection with research and evidence led
practice (1999). Third, Imel talks of reflection as “thinking about and critically analysing
one’s actions” (Imel, 1992). Fourth, Merleau-Ponty considers different approaches to
reflection, including critical, analytical, and phenomenological (Merleau-Ponty, 2002). He
states “reflection is truly reflection only if it is not carried outside itself, only if it knows itself
as reflection-on-an-unreflective-experience, and consequently as a change in structure of our
existence” (Merleau-Ponty, 2002, p. 72). Fifth, a model of teaching reflection to trainee
teachers emphasises first that reflection is an intellectual, cognitive activity that is analogous
to looking in a mirror, that it is a “habit of mind” (O'Sullivan et al, 2008). Lastly, an
alternative definition of reflective practice, which presents it as a process of awareness of
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unconscious theories in order to change behaviour, is provided by Osterman and Kottkamp
(1993):
“Reflective practice is viewed as a means by which practitioners can develop a greater
level of self-awareness about the nature and impact of their performance, an awareness
that creates opportunities for professional growth and development." (p. 19)
Reflective practice is now seen as a vital and underlying component of education (Bourner,
2003; Capel et al, 2005; Pollard, 2002), just as creative learning through mistakes, by
reflection, is seen as a vital component in learning (Bailey, 2002a). Reflection is also part of
professions more traditionally seen as ‘helping’, such as counselling, social work and nursing,
and is considered to be a professional competency. However, many professions emphasise
technical competencies and give little attention to critical or reflective expertise (Bain, 1995),
or are just beginning to see the value in reflective practice and the importance of including it
as part of training or professional development (Roberts, 2002; Driessen et al, 2008). Even in
ethnographic research, in which the reflexive researcher is key (Pink, 2009), how researchers
are to require this reflexivity is “hardly discussed” (ibid p. 50).
The vagueness of the term ‘reflective practice’ has been acknowledged (McArdle & Coutts,
2003; Jay & Johnson, 2002; Tremmel, 1993; Ixer, 1999). A rhetoric on how the discourses of
reflective practice affect professionalism, professional development and professional practice
states that “the notion of the reflective practitioner has become almost hegemonic in many
professional development courses” (Edwards & Nicoll, 2006, p. 115).
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Professional standards for teachers wishing to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in
England in 2011 emphasise the reflective and not reflexive practitioner (Hoult, 2005). The
teacher training Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course I chose to take whilst
completing my doctoral research had a significant stated emphasis on learning to be a
reflective practitioner. After my experience on the programme, however, I wonder whether
the majority of trainees are not taught to reflect and be reflexive about their practice, but
instead are pushed into a negative cycle of rumination.
These emphases on negative aspects of thought make sense of complaints like those from
McArdle and Coutts regarding reflective practice, in that they can find “little agreement
concerning what reflection actually is and how it might be encouraged” (2003, p. 225). The
common criticism that “an expert may know about something, but cannot necessarily do it
well. Thus teacher educators may tell students how to teach, but not necessarily be able to
teach well themselves” (Edwards & Nicoll, 2006, p. 120), has more implications for reflective
practice, given that it is something that is hard to stimulate in others. If a teacher educator
does not understand what it is to reflect effectively, they will be pushed hard to teach their
students how to do it for themselves, particularly given that the ability to reflect is seen as a
required competence for many courses.
Rumination is in fact stated as a desired outcome by some teacher educators such as
Calderhead, who states that a weakness of student teachers’ reflections is that they “are
reluctant to be self-critical and dwell upon their weaknesses” (1989, p. 46). Jay and Johnson
(2002) believe that reflection should entail recognition, examination and rumination. Not
surprisingly then, in a list of descriptive questions designed to elicit reflection from student
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teachers, only one-out-of-eight has any relation to the embodied or self-aware processes of the
trainee. These eight-questions form part of the ‘descriptive reflection’ phase that Jay and
Johnson postulate should be the first of a three-phase process of reflection that moves onto
comparative and then critical reflection. Each of these phases moves towards a more
intellectual analysis and justification of a given event. For example, questions may change
from “what is happening” (descriptive), to “what are alternative views of what is happening?”
and then “what are the implications of the matter when viewed from these alternative
perspectives?” (Jay & Johnson, 2002, p. 77).
I investigated perceptions of embodiment and reflective practice during my teacher training
course and a summary of the findings can be found in a case study in Appendix 12. These
investigations had relevance to my understanding of perceptions of embodiment and reflective
practice. Also, the teacher training I undertook had a real impact on my understanding of
what it was to be an educator, a therapist, or a researcher. My teaching practices were not all
comfortable places for me. I had on-going issues with the course director who had agreed
part-time placements in two schools to fit around my research field work, then asked me to
find a third and switch to full-time. I wrote in my journal “reflecting on how the words from
this session, and the last ‘power’, ‘nervous, anxious’ reflect on the situation I find myself in
whilst on teaching practice” (Reflective Journal), and wondering “how PGCE is ‘influencing’
research- again big difference between teaching, working, researching” (Reflective Journal).
These were not feelings that I shared in my teaching practice reflective journal however. My
approach to that assignment– in that it was an integral part of my training in which I had to
prove my ability, my competence and evidence my journey as a trainee– was one
recommended by Macfarlane and Gourlay (2009). They liken a reflective assignment to a
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reality television show. Although this may be slightly tongue-in-cheek, it does fit with my
experience of reflective assignments within a PGCE. The assessment of reflection “in a way
that reinforces behavioural conformism” (Macfarlane & Gourlay, 2009, p. 457) does not
encourage a critical engagement with the topic. Instead, reflective writing becomes “little
short of a confidence trick, or perhaps more worryingly, an exercise in self-justification and
conformism with the psychologised curriculum of learning and teaching” (Macfarlane &
Gourlay, 2009, p. 457). This does not facilitate students to reflect effectively, and instead is
more likely to result in superficial reflection (Calderhead, 1989) rather than “the practice of a
lifetime that can only begin with what we call ‘pre-service’ education” (Tremmel, 1993).
The issue of assessing reflections is also considered by Ixer (1999) within the context of
social work programmes. He starts with a stark question of whether reflection should be
assessed at all as the assessor’s own conceptions of reflection may be poorly formed, may not
match those of the students and so are likely to compound the imbalance of power between
them, with particular oppression of vulnerable learners who do not fit assessor’s ideas of what
reflective learning may be. Ixer equates reflection as not being “a competence…a measurable
skill readily available to standard assessment criteria” (Ixer, 1999, p. 514). If this is true of
social work, then how can it be assessed and measured as a competence in other professions?
Such a concern does not seem relevant to many in discussions on reflective practice,
including: Ferraro, 2000; Jay & Johnson, 2002; Cole, 2000; Cordingley, 1999; and
Calderhead, 1989.
How reflective practice is perceived depends on personal beliefs as well as the context of the
reflection. For me it is a part of a process that becomes reflexive. I use non-judgemental
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supervision time to guide and assist me so that my work develops and moves forward. If
reflections are to form part of assessment, then this implies to me that the reflections are less
about thoughts, and feelings, and more an opportunity demonstrate a competence at reflecting,
or being seen to reflect. At times the tension of my role as researcher and student within
different genres had impact on my thoughts and work in all spheres. The reflections required
of me as a trainee teacher had the tension between my need as a student to pass, and the need
to learn from my reflections. Some teacher training programmes try to separate out the
reflexive process from the professional practice of reflection by providing private learning
journal spaces for the students that are not assessed (Whewell, 2005). These journals often
provide most learning through follow-up dialogue (ibid). This can be contrasted with the
therapeutic model of supervision where the supervisor’s role can be seen as to “allow the
emotional disturbance to be felt within the safer setting of the supervisory relationship, where
it can be survived, reflected upon and learnt from”(Hawkins & Shohet, 1989, p. 3). I
continued with my professional supervison throughout my teaching practice, as it was part of
my private practice and research.
If the only experience teachers have of reflection is one that has been ‘forced’ upon them in
training, how can they embody a reflective approach to pass on to the students in their care?
In addition, the model of reflection would have to be taught as a skill, rather than a subject
which could be passed or failed. As with critical thinking, in which something needs to be
thought about critically, I see reflection as something that has to be done about one’s
experiences, through the corporeal body, of the world.
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6.2 MINDFULNESS AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
The majority of humans “may only be dimly aware of the actions of their minds…they use
their minds, often very well, but they may have no more than intermittent awareness of the
moment-to-moment activities of the mind” (Tremmel, 1993, p. 434). The stream of
consciousness that many experience as random is that way because many humans “dip into it
randomly and bring it into focus only when some special need arises or something unusual
occurs” (ibid). By teaching a student how to become more aware of her thoughts and
feelings, as in mindfulness practice, or through somatic movement education or another
method, it can become possible for her to learn how to reflect.
Current definitions of reflection, although sometimes vague or confused (Hatton & Smith,
1995), tend towards the analytical, critical and problem solving approaches favoured by
Western culture, rather than negotiation, contemplation and enlightenment. By paying more
attention to both non-Western and Western approaches, it is possible to remove some of the
limitations on the understanding of what it means to reflect. Tremmel believes that a
misunderstanding of Schön’s (1987) concepts, and an unpreparedness to think in the ways
demanded, may underlie why those in education often struggle with a lack of articulated
structures for reflection and reflection-in-action. For example, rather than ascribing to the
traditional power relations of ‘student’ and ‘teacher’, Schön instead postulates a dyad where
the two work together in a dance like pattern. This is similar to the relationship between a
somatic movement practitioner and her client– where even the term ‘client’ is misleading, as
the relationship is seen to be one in which both parties have the opportunity to learn from the
other (Hartley, 2004). That said, the practitioner has a duty of care towards the client, so the
relationship cannot be said to be that between peers. Within the dance of interaction,
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however, it is the role of the practitioner, the educator, to stay within the present moment so
that she is able to observe and feel the action that is occurring, and to respond.
As well as using the metaphor of dance to describe the relationship between those working
together within a learning situation, Schön (1987) uses the term ‘artistry’ to describe the
process of reflection. This word implies that it is not the technical rationality that is
important, but instead that insights should be brought to bear on the matter, as the technical
and rational thoughts can only tell us what we already know (Tremmel, 1993). The reflective
mind, is not the theoretical mind, but instead is:
“Flexible and pliable. It is a mind that can attend to what is happening in the moment
and respond directly…it is, moreover, the mind that has the capacity to reach into the
center of confusing situations, to see itself, and to shift the base of its operations or
pull up stakes altogether to follow the flow of the action.” (Tremmel, 1993, p. 436)
Reflection in this sense is not a search for solutions, nor a linear process. That is often how
components of teacher education programmes present it, with lists of questions, tasks or
elements to be completed in order to achieve reflection. Although frameworks may be useful,
they do not necessarily encourage reflection that is intuitive and emerges from the self, but
instead promote a practice that is rule-bound.
In relating the paradoxical qualities of Zen, Tremmel quotes Alan Watts (1957):
“Zen Buddhism is a way and a view of life which does not belong to any of the formal
categories of modern Western thought. It is not religion or philosophy; it is not a
psychology or a type of science. It is an example of what is known in India and China
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as a ‘way of liberation,’ and is similar in this respect to Taoism, Vedanta and Yoga…
A way of liberation can have no positive definition.” (p. 3)
Zen, like somatic movement, is something that is accessible practically, but hard to define
purely in terms of language and thought. It is experiential. Zen comes at the ‘problem’ of
reflection from a completely different perspective than that commonly expressed in
educational literature discourse (Edwards & Nicoll, 2006). Mindfulness, or the paying of
attention to oneself and the world around is a pre-requisite and the “better part of reflective
practice” (Tremmel, 1993, p. 442).
My work with the students is on one level all about what it is to reflect as an embodied being
and using an embodied self-awareness to provide the material on which we reflect. Within
the frame of reflexivity, reflection on our levels of self-awareness and about our work is what
we want to do. The very things that appear to be 'unconnected' may be those that eventually
give us the greatest insight. A teacher may reflect on how she feels when she has to teach and
may then implement a routine that is more supportive and has a positive effect on her practice.
Having a reflexive practice means that we take time to reflect on and analyse our actions and
awareness of ourselves, and use these insights to improve our teaching. In turn, we are able
to model what a reflective practice is to our students. A similar view is held by Tremmel,
who teaches students “the art of ‘paying attention’ as a way of nurturing reflective practice”
(1993, p. 435).
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6.3 EMBODIMENT AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
Embodiment, or embodied self-awareness can be an integral part of a reflective practice
(Smears, 2009). Within the context of using embodied self-awareness as a basis for
professional development, and “an opportunity to pause” (ibid, p. 99), Smears discusses how
embodiment, and using the body as a grounding of knowledge, can be used as an example of
good practice for educators to develop their own learning. There is a possibility of
objectifying the body through reflection if it the reflective process is purely an intellectual
activity (Pink, 2009). Van Manen discusses the epistemology of reflection in action and after
the event primarily in terms of thinking and thought processes rather than embodiment.
Although he does state that in order to be tactful as an educator it is necessary to “be able to
see what goes on” (Van Manen, 1995, p. 44), and he refers to that tact as a non-cognitive
practical knowledge that belongs “phenomenologically more closely to the whole embodied
being of the person” (ibid, p. 46).
An effective teacher, in Van Manen’s opinion, is one who reflects moment to moment, and is
able to be aware of herself, or in his words, forget herself, and to have a sense of instant
knowing that issues from the body and the world around the body rather than an organised
critical and analytical process of reflection. Smears identifies the cycle of learning through
reflection as proceeding through the stages of observation, recording experiential processes,
analysing and theory making and then planning to move forward onto the next level of
experience. The ability to perceive a situation through, and reflect with the subjective and
sentient body is something she attributes to a range of somatic practices and education
techniques including Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais and the work of Hartley. Somatic
awareness allows us to experience and know a situation or context experientially, accessing
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sensory information, perceptions and judgements, and developing empathy. Bain (1987)
credits Nishida (1870–1945) with the idea that via bodily movement, any and every process
of expression is possible (ibid, p. 45), so that not only does our body allow us to experience
more of the world around us, but our body is the expression of what we feel on every level.
The process of reflection should allow a sense of order to be brought to the descriptions of the
experiences, and for them to be brought into conscious awareness. It is not enough to simply
have an experience and then think about it, “exposure to an experience cannot, on its own,
bring about learning. Contemplating an experience or event is not always purposeful and
does not necessarily lead to new ways of thinking or behaving in practice and thus is not
considered to be reflection” (Miles, 2011, unpaged). Reflective practice has to begin with
observational and analytical skills being turned toward the self, into a “self-evaluation and the
analysis of one’s own actions...to identify and critique their own actions and behaviours”
(ibid). Smears states that reflexivity is a way to regain control over our personal world, which
can bring self-confidence (2009). Interestingly, Brown and Ryan consider that reflexive
thought has little or no relation to mindfulness, which they believe concerns “the quality of
consciousness itself” (Brown & Ryan, 2003, p. 823), that is, a purely intellectual activity and
not one associated with the body at all. This view would be expected by Biesta, who states “a
significant proportion of educational theory takes for granted presuppositions that are rooted
in the paradigm of the philosophy of consciousness” (Biesta, 1994, p. 302). By engaging with
the body to achieve a greater embodied awareness, we can develop an effective, useful
practice that does not degenerate into rumination, uncertainty, questions and a diminishing of
self.
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The thought processes that form part of reflexivity can be formed through an ability to be
simultaneously aware of the self and one’s embodied experiences. In contrast, self-conscious
thoughts can occur that are only thinking of the self without relation to any awareness of
bodily state. These type of thoughts typically involve “generalised judgements and
evaluations of the self (“I’m too fat”, “I’m not worthy of love”) that are disconnected with the
lived condition of the body (Fogel, 2009, p. 137). Rumination is described by Fogel as one
form of suppressing underlying feelings and emotions that creates a highly distressing yet
absorbing series of negative thoughts. He quotes Nolen-Hoeksema et al as defining it as “the
tendency to repetitively focus on symptoms of distress and possible causes and consequences
of those symptoms without engaging in active problem solving” (Nolen-Hoeksema et al,
2007, p. 198). This absorption into negative thoughts at first serves to guard against negative
feelings, but long-term affects the immune, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine systems of the
body in a way that maintains illnesses. In addition the prevalence of depressed thoughts and
negative self-evaluation become linked in a self-sustaining cycle (Fogel, 2009). One way to
combat this spiral is to focus on the underlying negative feelings, accessing those by
awareness of an embodied self-awareness. Fogel uses clinical studies to support his claims
that by paying attention to embodied self-awareness clients are assisted in changing thought
patterns from ruminative negative ones, towards more positive and self-consistent patterns
that lead to elevation of mood. He states that attention to feelings rather than thoughts leads
to a decrease in rumination, and that non-ruminative self-awareness is linked to higher selfesteem and empathic concern for others (Fogel, 2009).
Empathy has been shown to have a connection to reflection (Joireman et al, 2002). Joireman
et al (2002) define empathy as people’s observed reactions to each other, and clarify this
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definition with three important dimensions within interpersonal relationships: of perspective
taking; empathic concern; and personal distress. They state that within this context,
perspective taking is a cognitive form of empathy, empathic concern is an adaptive form, and
personal distress is a cognitive and adaptive maladaptive form.
Self-rumination, a process associated with neuroticism, depression, anxiety, hostility and
vulnerability, is not a process which enables a person to adopt another’s perspective, nor elicit
empathic concern. Rumination, along with absorption with the past or fantasies or anxieties
about the future “can pull one away from what is taking place in the present” (Brown & Ryan,
2003, p. 823). Self-rumination can be defined as “self-focus motivated by perceived threats,
losses, or injuries to the self. This neurotic form of private self-consciousness is characterised
by recurrent, past-orientated, negative thinking about the self” (Lischetzke & Eid, 2003).
Self-reflection, in contrast, is associated with an openness to experience and can be seen to be
positively related to adaptive and facilitative forms of empathy. Self-reflection is not linked
to personal distress, showing that that some types of self-attentiveness may enhance an ability
to empathise with others. Training individuals to engage in self-reflection, rather than selfrumination, can therefore be seen to have applications in increasing a person’s ability to
empathise. In addition, it was seen to have potential benefits towards reducing personal
distress, and feelings of guilt, shame, or worthlessness, which would again affect
interpersonal relationships positively (Joireman et al, 2002). Individuals who reported high
clarity about their feelings were more likely to rebound from negative moods and were less
likely to engage in self-rumination (Lischetzke & Eid, 2003). If the above is true, then
somatic education is a process which could be used to educate an individual to become more
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self-aware, and to self-reflect, rather than self-ruminate, as well as allowing expression of that
process through movement and/or language. Reflection is a skill that has to be done about
something, and cannot easily be taught in isolation. Somatic education, and increased selfawareness can be taught (Johnson, 1995), and as a result the individual would increase the
amount of data that they can later process and reflect on.
Reflecting is useful, because by giving language to an experience, we can process what we
have encountered: “because they are embodied, affective phenomena are always somewhat
ineffable: they have a quite literally unspeakable aspect that renders them elusive to, and
always slightly disjunctive with, language” (Cromby, 2011, p. 83). This equates to the work
with the children within this study. Somatic education was used as a tool to enable the
children to express themselves, to creatively reflect, and share and process their experiences.
Smears continues to consider how embodied reflection can be important not only for oneself,
but also for professionals, some of whom may have a sense of self-embodiment too habitual
to be noticed, but others found their professionalism on their focus of embodied selfawareness.
“The more we reclaim body awareness, that is our capacity to observe and our
willingness to feel, the more ways we can communicate. The development of skills to
access embodied knowing is a critical resource for reflective practice and interprofessional communication. It can be argued that professionals, who develop an
embodied awareness of self, have a further and useful resource to draw upon when
communicating with others.” (Smears, 2009, p. 107)
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Somatics has been used to teach dance, or as an adjunct to training (ibid.), and been seen to
open possibilities to refine body perceptions, improve technique, aid the development of
expression and prevent injuries. In an action research study a ten week, bi-weekly class in
somatic education was given to students within a dance degree (Fortin et al, 2009). The
classes included theory and practical sessions, and drew deeply on Feldenkrais (1981). The
students reported leaving the theoretical sessions feeling shaken up, and as destabilising.
Although the authors reported these comments as revealing the “ambivalence between, on the
one hand, the desire to become aware of current situations in the dance milieu and, on the
other hand, the discomfort this causes” (Fortin et al, 2009, p. 54), I questioned the level of
therapeutic holding that was present in the classes, and the rigour of a ten week action
research project rather than a longer term study. In my experience, there is a duty of care that
should be present for the students in such a class so that they are not left in a state that left
them not wanting to go to the next class “out of fear that I would leave too shaken up by all
sorts of self-questioning” (ibid). However, not all would agree that therapy should be taken as
a model for, or confused with education (Barrow, 2008; Ecclestone & Hayes, 2009). When
the material that is presented has such emotional content, or the capacity to affect the students
deeply, which movement can do, I advocate adhering to a therapeutic approach. A study
exploring the boundary between therapy and education in somatics was conducted by Nichols
(2008). In this, three courses were offered to students with prior knowledge of somatics or
movement on different levels along the continuum of education/therapy. The courses all
offered an experiential and theoretical component. In contrast to student evaluations from
Fortin et al, Nichols’ students reportedly found the work to be transformative as well as
informative. It may be that those students with less positive experiences declined to selfreport, or were excluded from the final report. However, a consciousness of the need to be
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aware of the therapeutic element that is present in somatic education may indicate that these
students represent the majority of experiences in these courses.
The somatic discourse can be discussed using the definition of discourses from Foucault
(1963) as systems of thoughts composed of ideas, attitudes, beliefs, practices and courses of
action, carrying power relations and constructing truths that enable or constrain what can be
done or said. It promotes body awareness “to allow individuals to make choices for their own
well-being, thus counteracting the fantasy of an ideal body, which is so often removed from
the concreteness of the lived body” (Fortin et al, 2009, p. 48). In addition, it supports the
development of an internal authority that helps to construct self-knowledge and creates states
of more satisfying health and well-being. This can be compared with the dominant discourse
of dance (Pickard, 2007) where an ideal body is valued on the aesthetic criteria of slimness,
virtuosity, devotion and asceticism. This, in turn, is similar to the ideal body that permeates
Western society, for which it is “no longer enough to eliminate excess fat, but fit, healthy
looking bodies…should look tightly toned.” (Markula & Pringle, 2006, p. 83). Within dance,
the body may be viewed as “being alienated from the self, something to be subdued and
managed” (Fortin et al, 2009, p. 49). Dancers who experience somatic practices, can develop
a new relationship with themselves, becoming sensitive to feelings, sensing actions and
becoming not an object, but the creators of their own lives (Green, 1999).
6.4 REFLECTION AND MOVEMENT
Reflecting on experiences of movement may have consequences for the way in which we
think and construct meaning, as well as how we are seen and see ourselves to move. It is
commonly assumed that thinking is tied to language, and that it takes place only via language,
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and that only thinking and language are tied in an exclusive way to rationality. Instead,
consider the possibility that movement constitutes the thoughts themselves: “movement and
non-verbal communication…essentially involve emotion and embodied cognition”
(Fischman, 2009, p. 43). Movement becomes the presence of thought (Merleau-Ponty, 2002),
or “thought and language are qualities of the body itself and separating them off from the
body acts to reinstate the body-mind split” (Totten, 2003, p. 133). However, it must be noted
that thinking in movement, or a descriptive account of thinking in movement, is not
challenging a linkage between thinking and language, nor between thinking and rationality,
nor even thinking and symbolic systems of thought, but the view that there are no other forms
of thinking: that language is thought. These assumptions are often accompanied by a parallel
assumption rooted in a Cartesian separation of mind and body (Leder, 1990). Research into
this is hampered in that “qualitative investigations of embodied, affective phenomena
encounter a further difficulty because most qualitative analysis presumes a linguistic
epistemology” (Cromby, 2011, p. 83). If thinking is separate from its expression then it can
only ever be transcribed or transliterated into movement, but language cannot easily be
separated from movement of the body:
“The signs of language are never separate from the signs of the body: what we speak
and what we hear is always influenced by what we feel and vice-versa. Meaningful
signs arise directly through and within the body, as well as through and in language.”
(ibid. p. 84)
Yet the same arguments made by Wittengstein (1963) and Merleau-Ponty (2002) with respect
to thoughts existing separately to their expression in language, applies to their corporeal
expression in movement. In movement, as in language, there are not necessarily meanings
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going through a mind in addition to the expression of thoughts. This also implies that
thinking in movement is not subject to an outside or critical eye. In improvisational dance for
example there is no external choreographer. As in other forms of thinking in movement it is
not subject to a judgemental outside presence, and again this thought in action can be seen to
be the work of a mindful body.
From a developmental perspective, it has been found that a child’s view of the world, and of
the language used to describe it, is formed in relation to how the world and the objects within
it moves in relation to him or herself (Bloom, 1993), and that this idea of objects ties in with
how both von Helmholtz and Husserl describe how we learn about objects. It can be said that
movement is a foundational character of the world, and that an infant’s (or an adult’s)
knowledge of the surrounding world is derived from physical knowledge of it. We, as human
animals have all been nurtured by an original capacity to think in movement, a capacity that
can become submerged or hidden by the practice of thinking in words. Even as a foetus in
utero, an infant has a sense of gravity, a sense of her joints, and a tactile kinaesthetic sense of
her own body as an articulable, essentially dynamic form. While thinking in movement can
be opaque to language, language is post-kinetic, and “language is profoundly embodied as an
element of thought” (Cromby, 2011, p. 86). Spatio-temporal-energic concepts come from
experiences of movement. A common kinetic theme can be said to weave between
improvisational dance and human development. It is the non-separation of thinking and
doing, and the non-separation of sensing and moving. A body that is dynamically attuned and
knows the world and makes its way within it kinetically, is thoughtfully attuned to the quality
of its own movement and the movement of the things that surround it (Sheets-Johnstone,
2009).
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6.5 CHILDREN’S REFLECTIONS THROUGH JOURNALING AND MARKMAKING
Journal writing can serve as a form of self-reflection (Oliver & Lalik, 2001), and as such the
idea of using writing throughout the sessions was introduced to all the children in the study.
This aspect of the work was most eagerly accepted by the oldest participants, and they would
frequently take advantage of the standing instruction that they could write, draw and sketch
out their thoughts on the work at any point during the sessions. The participants were using
words and pictures to describe their embodied experiences and to thus place verbal definitions
on them (Pink, 2009).
“C.:
I felt that was really good because then like we keep it in our heads because
like we’re doing all the different things to help us, and I just thought that was
like really fun.
Me:
Okay. What was fun about it?
C.:
Because we got to do...instead of just doing the movements, we got to do all
different things like drawing and things like that.” (C. Year 6)
“It was cool to write down everything and feelings and...” (E. Year 5)
Some children chose to document what they did and how they felt throughout a session,
adding to their notes when they felt like it. One child, L., wrote about her experiences of
being still.
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FIGURE 58 JOURNALING ABOUT BEING STILL
Another girl, A., documented how she felt in a session on balancing. Both girls share their
feelings about their experiences, whether they were challenging or easy. They were not
writing to please me, A. says “it felt boring” initially, although she did move on to describing
her experience as “quite relaxing” later on in the session. She also writes about the challenge
of looking in one spot only (to aid balance), and working with a partner.
Some of the younger children focused more on sharing their experiences to the whole group
within the circle which formed part of every session, expressing themselves verbally rather
than through written words.
“Me: How was it talking about what it felt like?
J.:
Really good.
Me:
Yeah, what was good about it?
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J.:
Well, actually I can’t remember that.
Me:
You just remember it felt good?
J.:
Mmm.” (J. Year 2)
FIGURE 59 JOURNALING ABOUT BALANCE
However, some of the younger children also enjoyed the journaling aspect of the work. One
girl, in Year 3 at the end of the sessions, but the youngest in her class, said the following in
her interview about journaling and communicating about and around the work.
“Me: Do you remember I used to ask you to think about and talk about and write
about and draw about what it felt to do all the stuff you did?
S.:
Yes.
Me:
Yes, what was that like?
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S.:
That was fun because you really get to explain your feelings and stuff.
Me:
Was it easy to do that, or hard?
S.:
Well, sometimes it’s hard to find words for your feelings.
Me:
Yes?
S.:
And, sometimes it’s really hard to talk about your feelings, so it’s easier just to
write them down, because you can- when you write it down you can rub it out
and do it again if you don’t think that’s right, but when you’re talking, you’re
saying no, but- well, yes. They know you’ve already said it.
Me:
And how about moving what you felt, what was that like?
S.:
Moving what you felt?
Me:
You know I asked you to move in a certain way and what you felt about it,
what was that like, thinking?
S.:
Well, again it’s hard, sometimes it’s hard to say, like I felt like this, because
feelings are very complex, but it’s also nice to share with other people how
you feel.” (S. Year 3)
The ability this young girl had to elucidate on what it meant to her to be able to express
herself on paper and to take the time to reflect on her words to ensure that she is writing and
communicating exactly what she means to, demonstrates that she is using the process to
reflect on her experiences. She also commented on how the medium in which reflections are
shared alters the experience of sharing. There is a difference in reflecting with others (i.e.
talking through the process of reflection) and sharing thoughts already gathered together in
the form of writing.
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Another girl, in Year 5, spoke about how she felt when asked to communicate through
drawing and writing.
“Me: And how was it when I needed to ask you to move and think and write and
draw about how it felt to do something?
A.:
Well, it was very fun to do it and, well, really...[laughs]
Me:
Is it hard to find the words?
A.:
Yes.
Me:
Is it because that’s recording you?
A.:
Yes. It made it fun, it was just harder for thinking of words to write down or
say or...” (A. Year 5)
This aspect of how the children felt about being asked to communicate and reflect through
writing and drawing was something that I asked all the children.
“Me: How was it when I asked you to move and think and talk and write about what
it felt like?
E.:
Um...all good.
Me:
Yes? Was it easy or hard?
E.
Um...I don’t think it was too hard. No.” (E. Year 5)
“Me: This is about different ways of how and why and what we move and you
wrote...can you read what you wrote?
J.:
Bouncy, happy, excited, joyful, grumpy, great, upset, sleepy and stretchy.
Me:
What was it like, thinking about all those different ways of moving and being?
Was it easy, was it hard?
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J.:
In the middle.
Me:
In the middle, okay.” (J. Year 3)
“Me: Do you remember that I used to ask you to do some movements and then we
would sit in a circle and we would talk about it and I would ask you to write or
to draw about what it felt like as well?
K:
Yeah.
Me:
How did it feel when I asked you to write and to draw about moving and
feeling?
K:
Happy.
Me:
Why did it make you feel happy?
K.:
Because I felt like I was stretched out and I was stretched ‘til I couldn’t walk.
Me:
Did you like feeling stretched out like you couldn’t walk? Yeah? Why did
you like feeling like that?
K.:
Because I had stretched and I couldn’t walk because I couldn’t lift my legs up.
Me:
And that was a nice feeling, was it? Or was it a horrible feeling?
K.:
No.
Me:
No, what did it feel like when you couldn’t lift your legs up?
K.:
It felt like funny stuff what tickles me.
Me:
And how did it feel when I asked you to write or draw about that as well?
K.:
It felt funny.
Me:
Yeah? Is that something you do a lot?
K.:
Yes.” (K. Year 2)
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Throughout this section of the interview K. was showing me with her body what it felt like,
lifting her legs up and stretching them out. It seemed as though for her, the physical
sensations that she experienced from the work was strongly interlinked with her memories of
the writing and drawing aspects of it.
El., in the following passage, starts to reflect on what it felt like to write and draw in this way
throughout the project, and how it was to look back on her work from when she was younger.
“Me:
What did you think about, you know, when I asked you to move and then I
asked you to think and draw and talk and write about what it felt like, how was
that?
El.:
I found that like quite hard to like think about it but then it was easier to write,
to draw and write about it.
Me:
Okay. And did it get easier because you've been doing it for quite a long time
now?
El.:
Yeah, it got easier as we did more.
Me:
Do you think that writing about what you feel and think is a good thing?
El.:
Yeah.
Me:
Why?
El.:
Because you get to like look back on how you felt at that time.
Me:
And then what does it feel like to look back at what you felt at that time now?
El.:
It feels weird like because I'm looking. But yeah, I don't know...
…
Me:
And this is all about how you feel as well.
El.:
Yeah.
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Me:
Is there anything you want to say? Have you read it through? And this is all
about different feelings and then how you've moved to be in those feelings.
El.:
[reading]
Me:
Why are you laughing?
El.:
Because excited you would just jump up and down.
Me:
Yeah. Is that not what you'd feel now?
El.:
Yeah, but it’s just strange.” (El. Year 5)
El. spoke about how practise and experience of reflecting through journaling and drawing
made the process easier over time. Familiarity with the concept may have allowed the
children to gain some of the positive benefits of an embodied reflective practice, similar to
those experienced by practitioners (Smears, 2009). It must be considered, however, that over
the time of the study all the participants grew older, and this may have been the reason that
the reflective process became ‘more easy’.
Another girl in Year 5, K., expressed similar sentiments to El., stating how the reflection
aspect of the work made her feel. She, like many of the children, said that it was important to
her to share how she felt with others. Reflection was not a self-absorbed activity, but one that
gained more meaning in context of the relationships of those around her.
“Me: How did it feel when I used to ask you to think about what it felt like and to
draw about it and to talk about it and to write about what it felt like to do all
this stuff?
K.:
Sort of- there was- it makes me calm.
Me:
It made you calm? What, thinking about how it felt made you calm?
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K.:
Yes.
Me:
Yes? Why’s that?
K.:
Well, I think it’s because you really have to think about it and be quiet.
Sometimes you have to be loud and things.
Me:
What was it like writing it or drawing it as well?
K.:
It was very fun drawing and writing.
Me:
Why was it fun drawing and writing?
K.:
Because you got to write how you felt and what you done and things.
Me:
And you liked doing that?
K.:
Yes.
Me:
Yes? Why did you like it?
K.:
Because people get to see how you feel.
Me:
Is that important?
K.:
Yes.
Me.:
As you’ve got older, you’ve written more. Has that bit got easier? Is it
different?
K.:
Yes.” (K. Year 5)
Writing was not the only way that the children were able to communicate their experiences of
embodiment. They were also given the opportunity to model with modelling clay, and with
pipe-cleaners.
“Me: Do you remember making this pipe-cleaner person? Yes? How was it,
making a pipe-cleaner person and then...
J.:
Fun and quite hard.
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Me:
What was fun and what was hard?
J.:
The hard part was getting it into the shape. And the fun part was seeing
everybody else’s.
Me:
Okay. Why was it fun seeing everybody else’s?
J.:
Mmm...
Me:
Not sure?” (J. Year 3)
One boy in Year 6 spoke about how he combined writing and drawing to reflect on his
experiences of moving, and what it meant to him to be able to reflect and record it.
“MI:
I liked how you let us draw and write about we feel because if we just tell you
you might not be able to remember everybody’s thoughts but if we wrote it
down then you've already got it there.
Me:
Did it help you remember or to think about it?
MI.:
It depends. Some of the activities we did, it helped me remember. But some
of them I just remembered it using my…Well, I wrote more than I drew
because when you draw something you might not be able to tell what I'm going
on about but if I write and do a little bit of drawing as well then it’s more
easier for you to understand and also it might be a bit easier as well. On the
few pages before it would tell you more if I wrote it instead of drawing it, but
in this one I would say that drawing is more important than the writing.
Me:
Okay. And is it good to be able to use both to think about how you feel when
you're doing the moving?
MI.:
Yeah. But sometimes it’s more important to do more of one than the other, I
would say. Yeah.” (MI. Year 6)
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FIGURE 60 MI. JOURNALING THROUGH WRITING AND DRAWING
The journaling within the sessions combined writing and drawing, and the children were
given time to write, draw or say what they wanted to without direction. They may have been
asked a question to prompt thinking, but were also reminded throughout that whatever they
wrote or thought was fine, that there were no right or wrong answers. Some chose to describe
their movement, or how they felt when they moved, or stayed still in a balance.
P., in Year 1 (age 4), described his movement in words. D., in Year 3 (age 6), chose to draw a
picture of himself balancing, and wrote how he felt when he balanced, “It’s quit esey and
some timse its quit hard (sic).”
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FIGURE 61 P. "I SPIN A ROUND"
FIGURE 62 D. BALANCING ON ONE LEG
The children were also encouraged to write about how they felt in general as part of gaining
awareness about their state of mind and physical self. This included stating how easy or hard
they found aspects of the work. When B. wrote “it’s hard to concentrate because I am
fidgety”, he was becoming aware of his state of mind, and beginning the process of reflecting
on it. This awareness, coupled with acceptance, may allow B. the choice of changing his state
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of mind and empower him to choose to change it (or not). Awareness and acceptance are
necessary precursors to change within the framework of SME (Hartley, 1989).
FIGURE 63 B. "IT'S HARD TO CONCENTRATE..."
The drawing aspect of the work definitely appealed to some of the children, who
communicated without using the written word. The lack of emphasis on language may have
allowed those that were younger, or those that felt more comfortable expressing themselves
creatively, to take part and to reflect on their experiences (Driessnack, 2005). One girl in
Year 4 drew the following after a session on emotion and how we move and feel them in our
bodies. She uses imagery of weather, and vivid colours to express how she feels as emotions
move through her body (see Figure 64).
One child, A. in Year 6, did not often choose to write or journal. However at the end of one
session described he drew a picture of a gorge walk, the thing he had identified as making him
happy. I commented in my journal at the time “beautiful picture of a gorge for gorge
walking...most expression ever on paper”. A. was able to communicate through drawing,
where he was still as yet unable or unwilling to communicate verbally (see Figure 65). The
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provision of art materials facilitated A. to choose to express and communicate his voice to me
and to the others in the group (Driessnack, 2005).
FIGURE 64 L. HOW WE MOVE AND FEEL EMOTION
M. spoke about the drawing in the sessions as she reflected on the work she had done over the
previous year. At the time of the interview M. was in Year 2, although for much of the work
she had been in Year 1 and Reception. This extract came at the end of the interview, after we
had talked about writing and drawing about how it felt to move.
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FIGURE 65 A'S PICTURE OF A GORGE WALK
“Me: Do you think looking back and remembering all of those months ago what you
would have liked to have done more of?
M.:
More pictures.
Me:
More pictures. Do you like drawing pictures? Do you like drawing pictures
about moving and what it feels like to move?
M.:
Yeah.
Me:
Why do you like drawing pictures like that?
M.:
Because it’s fun doing that.
Me:
Why is it fun drawing?
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M.:
Because it’s all colourful and I like colouring in the picture…
Me:
Okay, so when you draw pictures of you how you feel when you move, you
like drawing them all colourful?
M:
Yes.
Me:
Is that how you feel when you move?
M.:
Yes.
Me:
You feel colourful when you move?
M.:
Yes.” (M. Year 2)
The association of colour with movement by M., may have been triggered by the use of
vibrant oil pastels to draw within the sessions, or conversely, she may have expressed her
enjoyment of using colours because of her internal experience of moving.
In phase 3 of the study, which was with the oldest children only (Years 5 and 6), one element
of the work was that they were going to produce something that could be shared with others.
The format of this ‘sharing’ was to be determined by the children themselves, and options
included putting on an assembly, doing a display to be put up within the school, making a
video to show the other classes, or gathering parents and students together to witness them
moving. A small amount of time was given to thinking, discussing and negotiating how they
would like to share the work that they had explored with others, and the majority decision was
that they would like to make posters for display within the school, so that the other children,
teachers and their parents could see them. They wanted to work in small groups of their
choice, or individually, and all choose their own focus, rather than choose themes as a class
and distribute them. Only two children chose to work alone, and this was a positive choice,
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rather than a feeling of being left out. Other groups had between three and four members, and
were single sex.
The themes were chosen by the groups and they had three full afternoons to work on the
posters. Each session included time as a whole group to warm up, to move and to feed back
to each other about the work and progress. The first session was spent planning and
designing within the groups and experimenting, the second was mostly spent drawing,
practising movements, taking photographs and compiling them. The last session involved
finishing off the posters. They were placed on the door of the classroom which is also used
for assemblies, and so the work was visible to the whole school. Many of the children from
phase 3 mentioned the making of these posters as one of the things they had enjoyed the most
over the time of the study. This may have been because it had occurred most recently.
However, as shown by the quotes following, they were able to express verbally why they
enjoyed the activity. Two girls, E. and A. mentioned that they enjoyed being able to write
down their feelings, and then to share them with others.
“Me: Is there anything else that you want to say about the stuff that we did?
E.:
I enjoyed making those posters.
Me:
The last thing that we did, that’s on the door now?
E.:
Yes.
Me:
Why did you enjoy making those so much?
E.:
Because we could like do stretches and balances and everything, and it was
cool to write down everything and feelings and...
Me:
Are you happy with how it all turned out?
E.:
Yes.
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Me:
Do you like seeing it on the wall?
E.:
Yes.” (E. Year 5)
“Me: What did you enjoy the most?
A.
Where we made a poster and that to show what we did. How we show our
emotions through yoga.
Me:
Okay. Did you like doing that?
A.:
Yes.
Me:
Why did you like doing that?
Me:
Because it was a time we could express our feelings and show how we did it.”
(A. Year 5)
I asked C. explicitly about the poster work, and she expressed how much she enjoyed the
freedom of working in the way that we did.
“Me: And then you’ve got ideas about how we can share stuff. What do you think
about what we ended up doing, that’s on the door?
C.:
I thought that was really fun because like we got to have our opinions and we
got to do like what we wanted, not like given something, which I think is fun
to be given something and to do something in your own way. And I thought it
was fun when we got to do all the different balances. And then make up things
on that piece of paper and then make it into a poster.
Me:
Okay. Are you happy about how that turned out?
C.:
Yes.” (C. Year 6)
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K. was also asked about what she thought of the display.
“K:
Yeah, it’s real good.
Me:
Do you like seeing it on the wall?
K.:
Yeah.
Me:
Why do you like it up there?
K.:
Because you get to see what you did then and then you get to see lots of other
people’s work in the classroom so you can look at it whenever you like.” (K.
Year 6)
FIGURE 66 POSTER BY C., L., AND E.
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The children’s reflections through journaling, speaking, drawing, model-making and moving
showed how they used their embodied self-awareness to make sense of what they were
experiencing and feeling.
6.6 SUMMARY
Reflective practice has been seen to be an important part of professional practice in education,
therapeutic and health care professions. The ‘slipperiness’ of the rhetoric about and around
reflective practice (which can be compared with Best’s (1978) discussion of the slipperiness
of philosophy of movement) does not help an individual wishing to learn about reflection.
Mixed messages from educators about the purpose of reflection as well as the process, may
mean that students end up (or are asked to) ruminate on their experiences rather than reflect.
This may mean that a potentially useful process becomes a negative experience for the wouldbe reflector. In addition, assessment requirements for courses, or the use of line-managers as
supervisors, may inhibit the honesty with which a reflector shares their thoughts and feelings.
What it means to reflect effectively, and individual perceptions of reflective practice could be
explored further, as the stakeholders in the practice may have different views and expectations
of the exercise.
Using mindfulness techniques or increasing embodied self-awareness may be useful in
developing an effective reflective practice as well as tools that could be used to teach effective
reflection. This is applicable to both children as learners, and those in teacher training
programmes. However, care has to be taken to ensure that such methods are not introduced in
a way that lacks awareness of the potential therapeutic (or transformative) aspects of this type
of approach even when used educationally.
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The children in this study demonstrated that they were able to use their sense of embodied
self-awareness to reflect on their emotions, their experiences and even the process of
reflecting. They did this through the use of art materials, mark-making and drawing, sharing
with each other and journaling as well as in reflective interviews. Although the oldest
children appeared to journal most frequently, even the youngest ones in the study seemed able
to reflect on and express their experiences.
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CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS
The genesis of this research study was the desire to explore and find out how children
perceived and expressed themselves as embodied beings. Although previously the children
were always given time to reflect to each other how they felt and what they experienced as
they moved, I had not before incorporated the use of drawing materials, modelling and
writing as a way to journal and reflect on the process of the work. Although I had kept
professional notes on the content of sessions, I had no formal field notes or observations, or a
record of the children’s experiences. Informally, they, their teachers and parents fed back to
me how they felt the sessions impacted on their lives. The use of mark-making and scribing
is a form of reflection and sharing more common with adults, particularly in dance and
movement forms. I was interested to see how the children would respond and take to
introducing the element of reflection into the work, and how this could record their own
experiences of embodiment as experienced through the sessions.
My research questions were:
1. Do children experience themselves as embodied beings?
2. If so, how do they express, create and perceive their embodied self?
3. Does an experience of somatic movement within a school day affect ability to reflect
and process in an embodied way?
The first question was exploring how embodiment, that is an awareness of the living body
inside and out, was experienced by the children. This included how they reacted to being
asked to think about themselves as embodied, and to become aware of their bodies in this
manner.
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The second question related to how they developed this awareness of their living body, and
explored it through the mediums of movement, images, mark-making, scribing, reflection and
sharing. This question included how the children choose to share their experiences with
others, and the ways in which they reflected on their work, and how they learned about
embodiment.
The final question was of a broader nature, as it included what it meant to reflect and process
information in this way both for the child herself, and the practitioner, teacher or therapist
working with her.
Throughout the study my own reflexive process was integral, both as source of information,
reflection and analysis. My own “sensing body [was] at the centre of the analysis” (Pink,
2009, p. 14).
7.1 EMBODIMENT AND CHILDREN
The communication aspect of the work was appreciated and embraced by the children. The
opportunity to reflect, to process their experiences, and to share those processes with others
was valued. It allowed the participants to integrate the elements of it that best served them
into their everyday lives. Journaling, mark-making and drawing may have allowed the
children to begin to develop a reflective practice (Punch, 2002).
In addition to using the sessions to learn new ways of reflecting on the material, the children
were also invited to become much more mindful. Mindful about themselves, about how they
perceived and experienced their inner self and the workings of their body, about how they
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moved through and interacted with the world around them: “some of the children (particularly
the older ones) are very willing to participate in the ‘journaling’ aspect of exploring themes,
their feelings, thoughts and movement through writing and art” (Field Notes). This mindful
awareness increased the amount of data they had available to reflect on and process. The
children were more able to be aware of the perspectives of others and the impact of views on
other people, and to increase their empathy (Cromby, 2011; Sheets-Johnstone, 2010), by
remaining open not only to their own interpretation of the world, but also those of others.
The children in the study did seem to perceive themselves as embodied beings. They showed
that they were able to express their sense of embodiment through qualities of movement and
different movements, through drawing, mark and model-making as well as verbally. They
were able to express how they moved, types of movement, and why they moved, making a
connection between their movement and conscious thought process and language (SheetsJohnstone, 2010). The children began to be aware of how they felt when they moved, both
physically and emotionally. They were able to express and share these feelings, and articulate
them, as well as show empathy towards others based on seen movements and expressions.
These aspects of the sessions were among some of those most commented on by the
participants in the follow-up interviews. The children in this study explored their internal
structure through experiential anatomy, moving, drawing, modelling and examining the
language that is used to describe the organs and parts of the body. Again, the children
appeared to enjoy this aspect of the study, although it seemed that the younger ones were
more able to express themselves, whilst some of the older children were perhaps more
conscious of what they ‘should’ do or say at times. In addition, to expressing their sense of
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embodiment, the children demonstrated the process of learning about embodiment and
embodied self-awareness through somatic movement education.
There were limitations to the research strategies used in this study, for example, the choice of
the case study school. Although it was useful due to the prior relationships that had been built
up, and the familiarity of the children with aspects of the work, the school was not necessarily
representative. It is a very small rural school, in a predominantly white area. Because of the
small number of children in each year group (some years have only five children), any
statistical information on the arrival or departure of a child from a different ethnic group, or
with special educational needs could be very misleading and so has not been included. The
children are from relatively affluent socio-economic groups. In addition, the ethos of the
school is one of nurturing where close relationships between teachers and pupils are
encouraged. This meant that the pupils were receptive to the hands-on approach used in the
sessions. It may also have meant that the children wanted to please me, and to say and to act
in ways that they thought I wanted them to. Although they were encouraged to express
themselves, there were expectations around behaviour and conduct that they had to adhere to.
I was present in the school in roles of a teacher, a researcher and as a parent. As such, it was
my role to reinforce behaviour when the children were with me in the classroom. Had I
encountered the children out of school, it may have been possible to build a different
relationship with them, and the data may have reflected this. The children in the study ranged
in age from 4–11. Having such young children as participants also had implications for the
research methods used, and the ways in which the material in the sessions was presented to
the children.
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7.2 EMBODIMENT AND LEARNING
Learning an embodied way of being in, looking at and reflecting on the world could fall
within Brighouse’s idea of developing children to lead “flourishing lives” (2005, p. 47). This
idea of flourishing includes being ‘happy’, though he describes flourishing as a “richer
property than happiness, sensitive to many more features of a person’s life than just her inner
states” (ibid.).
The idea that education should equip students to lead flourishing lives, and help others to do
so is discussed by White (2007). He states that “a personally fulfilling life is one largely
filled with successful and wholehearted engagement in intrinsically worthwhile activities”
(2007, p. 18). The nature of exactly what is a flourishing or fulfilling life is given
consideration, as is the question of who judges which activities are deemed to be worthwhile.
If aesthetic values such as expressiveness, humour, balance, contrast and complexity are used
as a basis for determining qualities, then these are produced within a culture. According to
White, personal flourishing “is not…a matter of the satisfaction of the individual’s informed
desires. Its ingredients are not relative to our particular wishes. They lie outside us as
individuals. They are largely created within cultures” (2007, p. 27). The worthwhile
activities that make a flourishing life are not relative to individual preferences, although
personal autonomy is a wellbeing value. But if these activities are virtually all cultural
products, and individuals are not authorities themselves on what a flourishing life is, how can
it be determined: “no one can lay down in detail how a person will best flourish in the future.
There are simply so many ways of thriving, so many forms of wellbeing goods” (White, 2007,
p. 22).
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With respect to the body and wellbeing, Mill (1861) wrote that mental or intellectual
pleasures and activities are of higher value than physical ones. This is not, however,
something that can be determined by a group of wellbeing critics, as “there is no community
of experts on what constitutes a flourishing life” (White, 2007, p. 23). White continues to say
that authority on wellbeing lies not with an authority, nor one particular group or social class,
but instead with the population, as we all have an equal voice in determining our society and
as such what activities are worthwhile within it.
If one purpose of education is to equip people for a flourishing life, how does this then relate
to the physical body, physical activity and somatic movement? While considering physical
activity and young people, Wright, Macdonald and Groom (2003) state that all physical
activity is influenced by the making of identity in relation to the world. Young people draw
on cultural resources to make sense of their engagement. White would also equate wellbeing
values with those found to be worthwhile within the society or culture. According to Bailey,
Bloodworth and McNamee “it is widely maintained that sport and physical activities
contribute to the development of young people’s well-being” (2010, p. 2). Using Bailey’s
definition that physical education refers to “developing students’ physical competence and
confidence, and their ability to perform in a range of activities” (ibid), then somatic
movement encountered within an educational context, i.e. within the school day, would fit
into the arguments made for the value of sports and physical activity, being that they are
necessary for human flourishing. It must be noted, however, that the nature of somatic
movement is not necessarily the same as that more commonly associated with sport per se. It
is not something that could be practised with a ‘knack’, rather than an understanding
(McNamee, 2005).
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It can be agreed that somatic movement forms, and practices such as martial arts fall under the
wider category of physical or sporting activities. If “certain elements without which
flourishing becomes impossible, and… sporting activities offer distinctive ways to help
realise such elements” (Bailey et al, 2010, p. 3), then as well as forming part of the provision
of these opportunities, it could even be argued that SME, which by its nature allows an
individual opportunity to assess his or her state of being and develop a positive and nonjudgemental awareness of self, has an even greater role to play in the education towards
wellbeing. Indeed, if the hedonistic approach that equates wellbeing to a certain quality of
experience is utilised, then SME, which increases an individual’s depth of experience (Fogel,
2009) could form an integral part in the education of young people to lead flourishing lives.
Pleasurable experiences are not the exclusive contributor to wellbeing. Bailey et al (2010)
discuss the importance of authentic relationships, and relate this within the domain of sport to
the difference between process orientated and goal orientated experiences. Again, this has
relevance for somatic movement forms, as they are by their very nature experiential and
process orientated. The discipline and dedication that is required for successful sport
participation is no less relevant for somatic movement practices, which, although may not
require the “experience of harsh and unpleasant means to the desired end” (Bailey et al, 2010,
p. 10), often involve experiences that are difficult, painful or challenging, and as a result any
achievement is made “more meaningful and enduring” (Bailey et al, 2010, p. 10). As such, it
is easy to agree with the following:
“To focus on certain forms of pleasant experience, such as fun, may well foreclose
other satisfactions associated with exercise, play, games and sports. The value of
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effort and mastery to be found in sport will typically be associated with non-hedonic
means such as perseverance and tenacity.” (Bailey et al, 2010, p. 12)
In particular, the word ‘tenacity’ has relevance to the practice of yoga, which has as one of its
guidelines the idea of tapas, a Sanskrit word meaning self-discipline, and the rigour required
to work towards a larger goal of personal development, freedom or self-actualisation. This
broader view of the purpose of practice would concur with the idea that it is not desirefulfilment that bears on well-being. The desires one may feel may be incidental or even
detrimental to one’s wellbeing (Bailey et al, 2010), and again this is reflected in the yoga
principles, where one is advised to move away from greed, avarice, and the feelings of
momentary desires and towards santosha or contentment with what is. Yoga is a movement
form which often results in participants ‘feeling better’. It is not, in its nature, competitive,
unlike sports such as soccer in Britain. In particular, youth soccer has become renowned for
its competitive nature and the “inappropriate ethos” (ibid, p. 15) that is found within it. That
said, there will always be individuals that seek out competition, and within yoga certain forms
attract those more than others.
If wellbeing and health are said to include the capabilities of life, bodily health, bodily
integrity, senses, imagination and thought, emotions, and practical reason among others
(Nussbaum, 2000), and health is determined in terms of the bodily and mental ability to
achieve vital goals (Nordenfelt, 2007), then physical activities that enhance the participants’
development of bodily control and awareness can only contribute to a flourishing life. The
word ‘engagement’ is used to describe the achievement of flourishing by Brighouse–
engagement with family, with friends and I would suggest, with the world. This engaging
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with the world is a key theme in Body Mind Centering®, Integrative Bodywork and
Movement Therapy, and other forms of somatic movement. But what does it mean for this to
be part of education? How would it affect the delivery of a curriculum?
In a sense, the Every Child Matters Agenda which was introduced into the United Kingdom in
2004 (Every Child Matters: Change for Children Agenda, 2004) attempts to address this, by
calling for measurable outcomes for each individual child and that they

Be healthy

Stay safe

Enjoy and achieve

Make a positive contribution

Achieve economic well-being. (ibid)
This shift in the purpose of education is not welcomed by all though, as Ecclestone and Hayes
(2009) make the argument against what they term a therapeutic turn in education, and any
curriculum that is not purely based around the development of the mind seems to warrant this
term. They see it to elevate “everyday feelings of uncertainty, vulnerability, discomfort or
lack of confidence and depict them as ‘treatable’” (ibid, p. 155). This alternate view of the
purpose of education is at odds not only with educational philosophers such as Brighouse and
Bailey, but also runs contrary to the principles of somatic movement. In addition, the
principles of somatic movement would advocate that every individual has the potential to
learn and to progress working from a picture of health and not a pathology of vulnerability,
discomfort or lack of confidence.
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How humans learn is addressed by Bailey, who discusses the differences between teaching
and cultural learning (Bailey, 2003). If learning is to take place through instruction, he
specifies that a teacher must operate at a higher level than the student. For trainee teachers to
learn how to reflect effectively then it follows that effective reflecting must be modelled by
the teacher educators. However, this in turn may contradict Gadamer’s paradigm of learning
in which “knowledge takes the form of an object” (Gadamer, 1975, p. 15). In this view, there
is an expert or voice of authority which “belongs to the one who knows the most or best”
(Breen, 2000). This mode of learning seems far from Schön’s idea of reflection in practice,
where individuals “identify and criticize the mechanisms of metaphor that lead to
understandings...to facilitate a process of “frame restructuring” in which we come to new
understandings” (Richmond, et al, 1997).
In a paper on the idea of ‘cultural’ learning Bailey (2003) discusses the idea of learning to be
human within an evolutionary model. The developmental aspect of this argument resonates
with that of philosopher Sheets-Johnstone (2009) and bodyworker and therapist Hartley
(1989). With respect to learning, and how a child learns the social, psychological and
emotional skills necessary to live and to flourish Bailey distinguishes three types of learning,
imitative, instructive and collaborative. These modes of learning are different from the
models postulated by Bruner (1985), which are; tabula rasa, hypothesis generator, nativism
and constructivism. With respect to imitative learning Bailey states
“The learner must be able to recognise the intentionality of the model. However to
provide that model, the teacher must operate at a significantly higher level, as the
teacher must have some notion of the learner’s knowledge or ignorance of a specific
task. Therefore the teacher needs to be able to recognise false beliefs in the learner,
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and also have some acknowledgement of the learner’s beliefs about the teacher’s
intentions, so that the teacher is able to spot misunderstandings on behalf of the
learner.” (Bailey, 2003, p. 185)
With regard to SME and the idea of education about embodiment I would replace the concept
of ‘misunderstanding’ with ‘integration’ or ‘unseen’. SME is concerned with the idea of
integrating movement patterns and bringing into visibility and consciousness unseen ways of
moving and being in the world so that the individual has more choices of
how they wish to act and to react. The teacher of embodiment then, has to be more than ‘one
page ahead’ of the students. She has to integrate and embody embodiment and make the
intention behind the work clear, as “human experience cannot be fully fathomed unless we are
fully embodied” (Sills, 2000, p. 8). The intention behind the work helps to give a “clear
realization that there is no separation between the mind and the body. Intending something is
the beginning of doing it” (Linden, 2002, p. 7). In addition the teacher has to be able to use a
combination of approaches whilst allowing the students to fully imitate and participate and
construct their own meaning of embodiment from experience. Imitation as a means of
learning body based practices is discussed by Downey (2010) in relation to capoeira, a danced
martial art. Capoeira is traditionally taught through imitation, minimal instruction, practice
and exercises, and as such is similar to yoga and the material in the sessions in this study. It is
experiential rather than theoretical. By watching, experimenting and imitating a movement
pattern or position, it is possible to integrate knowledge into action and understanding.
However, in order for another to imitate, the teacher has to be embodied and present within
their movements, and may also need to use touch, as “an awareness of ourselves through skin
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contact of some sort does seem to be important for an on-going sense of self” (Westland,
2011, p. 21).
By stating that the teacher has to be embodied it is not meant that to teach embodiment a
person has to be ‘perfect’. Embodiment is used here to mean both a process of learning about
the self and a state of being (Wright, 2000). Although SME is intrinsically linked to
embodiment, ‘somatic’ is defined by Hanna as having “evolved to mean the living body in its
wholeness” (1979 p. 6). To be whole, and to be living does not mean to be perfect. Instead I
mean a consciousness about where in the process one is on the path seeking “to increase the
sense of the embodied self, ‘the body experienced from within’, and to cultivate awareness
and harmony within the body-mind-spirit continuum” (Hartley, 2004 p. 12). For example,
within a yoga class, it is perfectly possible for a teacher to teach students to do a free standing
headstand in one lesson, yet be unable to perform one herself. Ideally she would be honest
about her limitations and practice, and support her students to fulfil their own potential, and
not pretend that she can in fact achieve poses that she has not yet mastered. In addition, in
yoga or any other form of bodywork, before touching another individual in the context of a
therapeutic (or teaching) relationship, she should have experiential training that includes
“knowledge of how to touch…and having adequate supervision from someone who has also
had touch training” (Westland, 2011, p. 25).
The somatic movement sessions in this study were educational. However, somatic movement
has the potential to be therapeutic even when used in an educational context, as can be seen
from the case studies in Chapter 5. The case study of child A. demonstrated the need for a
practitioner to be aware of any developmental issues or difficulties, and the challenges that
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can be faced when a child would seem to benefit more from a therapeutic intervention than
group educational sessions. The challenges were also present for me as the practitioner, and
supervision was vital throughout the sessions to ensure that there was a duty of care to the
students as well as to myself. Child M., in contrast, appeared to show how he was able to
take the educational context of the sessions and use it to his own therapeutic advantage. He
expressed how, as a result, he was able to regulate his own emotions more effectively through
the use of music, and recognise emotions and feelings in other people. These both show that
if somatic movement is to be used educationally, it is vital that the practitioner remains aware
of the therapeutic context and possible implications of the work.
7.3 EMBODIMENT AND REFLECTION
I believe that the effectiveness of a reflective practice depends on the data the practitioner has
to reflect on. She needs to be able to pick up on how, when and in what manner what she
does impacts on the teaching environment and the learners within it. To be aware of how she
feels and holds herself within a given situation. This relates directly to my understanding and
utilisation of embodiment. I believe that it is possible to embody and project feelings of
confidence whilst internally feeling less secure. This would echo teacher trainers who advise
that trainees ‘act’ in order to control a class and establish themselves discipline (Kyriacou,
1998). I found this to be directly relevant when sharing my own personal experiences about
embodiment and reflective practice with the science teacher in the case study on reflective
practice. We discussed how scientific knowledge of the body enhanced and also detracted
from our embodied experience of it. I can relate this to how my bodywork training was
managed. It was aimed primarily at dance artists and movers. The main component of the
theory was on anatomy and physiology of the living body. I found this element of the course
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very easy, having studied biology and chemistry to a high level. Others on the course found
this more challenging as they did not have a scientific background. Most of the students
would have described themselves as being aware of their environment intuitively, but without
detailed anatomical knowledge that would enable them to visualise the internal workings of
the body clearly. For reflective practice I believe that “the teacher’s attention is focused both
inwardly at their own practice...and outwardly” (Kemmis, 1985). It is the inward focus that I
believe vital, as in order to achieve it a practitioner has to access all of the information
available to her through her physical body and senses. If she is conscious of her body
processes, and the environment around her she will have a greater resource to analyse and
reflect on. A practitioner able to evaluate her body’s reactions to the stimuli of the learning
environment; to pupils as individuals; perceptions of her students’ reaction and engagement
will be able to reflect effectively and model reflective practice. Embodied reflective practice,
as used to model reflection for learners, can be compared to using mindfulness in
psychotherapeutic treatment, in that it is not a tool, but “requires an attitude and process…It
also requires that the therapist immerses herself in its practice so that its spirit and effects
come to life” (Weiss, 2009, p. 13). However, an embodied practice is not a guarantee that
reflection will be effective, a Pilates instructor writing in the role of a ‘Professional
Investigator’ reflected that “self-reflection consistently slipped into confessional selfcriticism” (Markula & Pringle, 2006).
It is the idea of reflecting in an embodied way that links somatic movement to the world of
education. Embodied self-awareness can be taught, (Bainbridge-Cohen, 1993; Fogel, 2009;
Hanna, 1988; Hartley, 1989; Feldenkrais, 1981), but teaching reflection is somewhat harder
(Hatton & Smith, 1995). Reflection is something you do about something, it cannot be taught
297
in isolation. Like any core skill it cannot be de-contextualised. Within the frame of
reflexivity, reflection on levels of self-awareness and about our work is what we want to do,
and to teach. The very things that appear to be 'unconnected' may be those that eventually
give us the greatest insight. Our body is connected to the mind, as “when we are speaking of
the body, we are not only describing the functional aspect of movement, but how our psyche
and emotions are affected by our thinking and how movement itself effects change within
them” (Chaiklin, 2009, p. 5). Such reflection may include a teacher reflecting on how she
feels when she has to teach, and then implements a routine that is more supportive and has a
positive effect on her practice. It might be a learner realising that he has had an insight into
what he is doing, and why, and how it connects subjects for him. Having a reflexive or
reflective practice, means that we take time to reflect on and analyse our actions and
awareness of ourselves, and use these insights to change what we do.
My depth of reflexivity and awareness in my own practice allows me to be what Fogel (2009)
calls, ‘intersubjective’. I take questions and thoughts into supervision and shape further work.
As a teacher I do not have access to confidential and impartial supervision, nor am I
guaranteed observations from teachers experienced in owning their judgements and
projections into a situation. Such observations now form a part not only of teacher training,
but of on-going evaluation by line managers and OFSTED.
In order to address learning through modelling (Bailey, 2003), the school ethos and the
teachers directly involved with the children ideally need to model embodiment with their
body and demonstrate what it is to be and achieve these things. The idea of what it is to
educate about engagement, about how to flourish or how to be embodied needs to take into
298
account how children learn. For example in relationships children are influenced by the
models they see around them. The break-up or change of the family home has been seen to
have an effect on children in many arenas, not least of which how much they participate in
sport (Quarmby, Dagkas, & Bridge, 2010). Physical activity and sport are relevant here, as
sport and physical education are subjects in which it may be assumed that the body and the
experience of moving the body is of a primary concern.
The children in this study demonstrated that as part of their experience of SME within the
school day they were able to reflect. Reflection was an integral component of the sessions.
All the children were given time and space to reflect on their experiences in every session.
They did this through sharing in a group as well as individually by way of writing, drawing,
model making and talking. When offered the opportunity to journal their experiences
throughout each session as well as at specific times, the older children in particular chose to
reflect in this way. As part of the third phase the children reflected on the elements of the
sessions that they wanted to share with the rest of the school. In addition, the children were
given the chance to look back through their work and reflect on their experiences as a whole
as part of the interview process. The children appeared to develop their ability to reflect, to be
mindful, and to express what they were reflecting on in an embodied way. They appeared to
gain insight into their embodied experience. That is, they used their embodied self-awareness
linked in with their ability to reflect on emotions, experiences and events in their lives.
7.4 IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
As a trainee teacher I received little guidance, and less modelling of reflective practice. I feel
that if trainees and teachers are expected to reflect on and in their practice, then initial teacher
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training needs to change to encompass this. It could more closely model itself on the training
in the helping professions such as counselling and social work, and also provide on-going
support and supervision for the students and resulting professionals. If trainees were
supported and given the opportunity to become effective reflective practitioners, they may
show good and outstanding teaching rather than the ‘competence’ required of them. In
addition, they would then be well placed to pass on these skills to their students. This relates
back to the idea of embodying a skill and then being able to model it to others. Although
reflection per se is challenging to teach, a more self-embodied awareness is not, and can start
as simply the highlighting of “appropriate body parts and how they feel...[so that the]...neurodevelopmental process of self-awareness and self discovery [can] take root” (Fogel, 2009, p.
208). The reflection process then naturally occurs. Within the therapeutic model of reflection
and supervision it is not expected nor demanded that a practitioner holds the space to do this
alone. Both the supervisor and supervisee take responsibility for recognising fear and
negativity, and ensuring the quality of work. The supervisee is expected to begin selfsupervision where they appraise themselves, and by taking these thoughts into the supervision
setting they can take the opportunity to process them and allow it to form part of their ongoing self-development, their care-taking, self-awareness and commitment to learning. A
lack of supervision can lead to “feelings of staleness, rigidity and defensiveness” (Hawkins &
Shohet, 1989, p. 5) that lead towards burn-out or the maintaining of illness as described for
rumination.
Educating teachers about embodiment and how to increase and use levels of self-awareness
could aid a reflective practice. It may also be key to enabling children to learn reflection
through modelling (Bailey, 2003). If an individual has not had the opportunity within her
300
life-experience to develop self-awareness then she is limited in the amount and quality of
information to reflect on. Embodied self-awareness includes being aware of what is going on
in the physical and physiological self, and how that relates to emotions, feelings, thoughts.
For example, if you hurt, what kind of hurt is it (bone, tissue, muscle), or a more general
awareness of you, the world around you, and others. By making the link between embodied
self-awareness or embodiment and reflection, the self-awareness has a purpose and is not just
self-absorption. You reflect, and in order to reflect, you have to be self-aware. The two are
connected, and in the teaching of embodied self-awareness, there are the tools to learning
reflective practice.
How an individual perceives her body, and perceives what a ‘sporting’ or ‘able’ body looks
like and how it moves, can colour how she feels about participation in sport and other
physical activities. If children are allowed to gain pleasurable experiences and memories of
the physical expression of their body, then this will inform how they view their ability to
participate and increase their confidence in doing so. If, on the other hand, they are subjected
to activities and experiences they do not enjoy, that they are unable to conform to, then it is
likely that enjoyment and future participation in physical exercise will decrease (Wellard,
2006). Thus, the experiences of moving and enjoying and experiencing their bodies in
activities such as somatic movement, may increase future participation in other forms of
exercise and physical activity for these children. A longitudinal study would be needed to
examine whether early experiences of somatic movement affected participation in exercise
and sport in later life. For example, achievement has been identified as a motivation factor
for participation in sport, and can be either task-focused or ego-focused orientation. These
modes would be referenced by perceived competence, effort, task mastery and improvement
301
or comparison with others, norm–referenced perceptions of competence or winning (Pickard
& Bailey, 2009). This goal-orientated motivation found in young dancers and athletes, can be
compared with the non-competitive, process-orientated nature of yoga and somatic
movement. However, one aspect that the movement forms share, is that they become “not
simply something they do, but also something they are” (Pickard, 2007, p. 42)
With regard to future research of this nature, in order to focus on the sensory and embodied
experience of the body, it is necessary to “have a clear idea of what sensory and embodied
experience involve[s]” (Pink, 2009, p. 24). In addition, Pink (2009) speaks of the meeting
points between research (specifically sensory ethnographic research), scholarship, art and
intervention. In studies of this nature there may also be ‘thin’ boundaries between therapy
and education, and it is important that any research takes care to maintain the relationship
between the need to make an academic contribution to scholarship and discussion as well as
performing a service or intervention and maintain a professional duty of care towards the
participants.
Educating about self-awareness and embodiment is a long way from “physical education as a
government technology that regulates and shapes bodies” (Markula & Pringle, 2006, p. 47).
Somatic education (and therapy) has as its core, an emphasis on individual expression and
freedom of choice (Fogel, 2009; Johnson, 1995). This choice comes about in part through
self-reflection, and a focus on self-transformation. Which is coherent with kaivalya,
(liberation, emancipation and freedom), the traditional goal of yoga (Iyengar, 1966).
However, although there have been calls for more research to investigate mindful practices
such as yoga (Markula & Pringle, 2006), there is still a scarcity of peer-reviewed research.
302
This study has implications for reflective practice in education, physical education and initial
teacher training. Learning to increase embodied self-awareness is a route to developing a
reflective practice, but further research would be necessary to determine how this could be
implemented and utilised. This further research could be in the form of studies exploring:

Longitudinal effects of SME sessions, tracking children and young people over time,
and recording participation in physical activity, experiences of embodiment,
reflection;

SME sessions with secondary age young people;

SME sessions with trainee teachers as part of developing a reflective practice;

Embodied reflective practice and practitioners (e.g. physical educators, coaches);

Aspects of SME (e.g. touch) used with children with special educational needs (e.g.
autism).
I have been awarded a small research grant from the University of Kent to explore parent
perspectives of touch and raising children with autism and tactile defensiveness. This will
include parent views on the possible shape of intervention projects, and will be used as a pilot
for a larger study providing an intervention in the form preferred by the parents.
At the beginning of the research process I identified myself primarily as a practitioner. As
such I was most familiar with the language, assumptions and terminology found in somatics,
yoga and bodywork. By placing this work in an academic context I had to learn new
languages; of education, physical education, sport, philosophy, dance, psychology,
psychotherapy and health. The disparity in terms used to describe the nature and experience
of embodiment highlighted the challenges in bringing experiential work into an academic
303
realm. It also clarified to me the importance of doing this, as experiences of embodiment and
embodied reflective practice could have relevance to a number of fields if the work can be
disseminated using language that is understood and accepted.
Yoga and somatic movement were used as tools to facilitate the children’s experience and
expression of embodiment, but the study was not a study of SME and how it could be utilised
in schools. Instead, it developed from an exploration of the embodied experience of a child,
to include the development of a reflective practice and an embodied reflective practice. The
children were able to express their experiences of embodiment along with an exploration of
reflection through talking, moving, mark-making and journaling. Due to the crossover
between my teacher-training and the research study, I began to examine the importance of
teaching reflective practice for educators, and the impacts that this could have on learners.
These two strands – the developing of an embodied reflective practice for professionals, and
the expression of children’s embodiment, form the elements that I would like to focus on as I
move forward from this research study.
On a personal level I experienced a journey encompassing a growing number of roles from
therapist/practitioner to researcher and educator. The balancing of these roles was not always
easy, as each placed demands on my time and tensions between them challenged me, as can
be seen from my reflective journal. The intensely personal and reflective nature of this study
was not planned initially, and this too challenged me. Overall I have found the experience
rewarding and informative.
304
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APPENDIX 1 META-ANALYSIS
Title
Methods
Findings
Notes
Anderson (2006) Body
Designed to assess forms of body awareness
BIS composed of 3 sub-scales, Energy
Further research needed to validate
Intelligence Scale: Defining
that support overall wellness. Qualitative
Body Awareness, Comfort Body
Scale. Also whether it could be
and Measuring the
and quantitative methods used to develop the Awareness, Inner Body Awareness. Report
used/adapted to be used with
Intelligence of the Body.
BIS. The concept was defined from
children.
concludes first stage of BIS development.
listening to embodied writings by colleagues
and students of transpersonal psychology,
and textural analysis of body theorists and
practitioners. Items were generated by
authors own personal experience. Three
focus groups generated items and these were
also used to form preliminary BIS.
Participants were then used to take part in
Likert scale format of 200 items.
338
Beaudoin (1999) Integrating Reporting on what areas of daily life
Participants used their somatic learning
All participants had prior
Somatic Learning into
followers of somatic education use their
techniques when they were experiencing
experience of somatic techniques,
Everyday Life.
learning, and what degree of integration they
discomfort, in recreational activities, in self- and were shown to have integrated
achieve. Using the Experiential Taxonomy
care activities, at the workplace, at home or
of Education (Steinaker & Bell, 1979) and
whilst observing others moving. A majority initial learning experience. They
the taxonomy of the Affective Domain
used somatic techniques when experiencing
had transformed the original
(Krathwohl, Bloom, & Masia, 1964). The
emotional discomfort (fear, anger or
learning into their own ways of
researcher interviewed the participants 6
distress). Elements that were helpful to
doing things.
times over 6 months. Each participant had
them included moving, modifying body
an average of 6 years experience in a body-
posture, coming back to the body’s
centred approach.
sensations, being attentive, allowing
themselves to go with what was happening
and being present. Participants reported
beneficial outcomes; feeling happy, having
a new attitude, enjoying life’s pleasures,
339
them into their lives beyond the
looking at difficulties differently, feeling
changes, reducing stress, an overall feeling
of wellness. The Taxonomy analysis
revealed the majority of participants
reaching the second and third levels of
integration.
Cullen-Powell & Barlow
Exploratory study using a qualitative
Primary Age- All children attended had low
This study does not look at the
(1995) The Self-Discovery
approach. The SDP was delivered to
academic abilities, poor social skills and
children’s experience of the SDP.
Programme for children
children referred to the programme by
were receiving additional support at school.
Only 2 sessions per group were
with special educational
contact teachers. 34 pupils attended in
The observations showed children initially
observed. Practitioner/tutor notes
needs in mainstream
groups of 6-8 for 16 sessions over 3 terms.
unsure and apprehensive and becoming
were not part of the analysis.
primary and secondary
Sessions covered; sensory awareness, touch
confident and more interactive. Teachers
Teachers’ reports and reviews
schools.
therapy and relaxation. Behavioural profiles
noticed improvements in communication
were used to assess the effect of
of the children were completed at baseline,
skills, self-esteem and social confidence.
the programme.
observations of the first and last sessions
Teachers also reported transference of skills
340
were recorded by an independent researcher
from the SDP.
and reviews with teachers and tutor were
Secondary Age– The children were all
completed at the end of the SDP.
reported to have numeracy and literacy
Demographic information was also collected
difficulties, low academic ability and severe
at baseline. A middle order approach was
social and home difficulties. The children
used to analyse field notes from observations all had reported low self-esteem.
and the reviews. A summary of behaviour
Observations showed children initially
profiles provided background information.
demonstrated self-stimulatory behaviours
and difficulties with self-control. At the
end of the program all of the children’s
attendance at school had increased. The
children had begun to participate more and
offer information and ask questions.
Teachers reported that the children seemed
happier with themselves and showed
341
improvement in communication skills and
relaxed body language. Some children had
begun to transfer the skills learnt into the
wider school environment. The study as a
whole showed SDP may be helpful by
providing children with SEN practical
relaxation skills and a greater awareness
about themselves.
Fitzerald (2005) Still feeling Data generated as part of a larger project
The key themes identified included; the
The importance of a teacher
like a spare piece of
involving 35 schools. This study reports on
status and values attributed to different
having a positive regard for all
luggage? Embodied
data from a school where a set of 3 focus
activities, embodying difference through the students, with a disability or not.
experiences of (dis)ability in discussion groups were held. All of the
habitus, legitimate participation and
How an individual’s experience of
physical education and
participants were boys. Discussions were
attaining capital, and the PE teacher as the
PE and/or sport at school is
school sport.
recorded and transcribed. The transcriptions
nurturer of ability? Students reported that
affected by the support and
were coded into categories and themes. This
they perceived the sports in which they
encouragement they receive.
342
paper looks at the boys’ experiences and
could take part had a lower status in the
understandings of PE and sport.
school. They spoke of the differences
between themselves and ‘normal’ students
where they might do gym or fitness, while
others played rugby. This was at times
considered an advantage– particularly in
cold weather. They did not always feel
accepted in team games and experienced
peer-led exclusion. They appreciated how
one PE teacher in particular was positive in
his comments and approach, and this
affected their feelings about PE and sport.
Green (1999)Somatic
A qualitative data collection process, a post
Participants did reflect previous experiences
The course was not looking at the
Authority and the Myth of
positivist paradigmatic framework, and a
in dance had an emphasis on the ideal body.
efficacy of somatic movement
the Ideal Body in Dance
naturalistic research approach were used.
Reported dualistic perception of body as
practices. Analysis methods
343
Education.
Five dance students chose to enrol on a
separate from mind, and viewed objectively. useful for my study? Analysis in
course titled ‘the gendered body in dance
the field and cut up and put into
education’. Data collection occurred
folders?
throughout. Discussions were taped and
transcribed. Individual interviews were held
at the end of the course. Observations and
videotapes were also used, and participants
kept a journal Data analysis was through
informal analysis in the field and more
formal cut up and put into folders
approaches.
Junker, Oberwittler, Jackson Questionnaire survey completed by 180
73% of patients reported experience with
This study collected perceptions of
& Berger (2004) Utilization
members of the German Dystonia Society
complementary therapies of some kind,
33 different therapies, and did not
and Perceived Effectiveness
asking about experiences and perceived
with no significance gender bias. Many
seek to differentiate between them
of Complementary and
effects of various complementary therapies
(86%) had experience with more than one
on the basis of practitioner
344
Alternative Medicine in
including botulinum toxin A injections,
type of therapy. The most effective were
Patients with Dystonia.
physiotherapy and psychotherapy.
perceived to be breathing therapies,
training, evidence or intention.
Feldenkrais and relaxation techniques.
Perceptions were also gathered on cost
effectiveness.
Khalsa (2004) Treatment of
Participants with chronic insomnia kept a
Although the exercises chosen were said to
Only one form of yoga was
Chronic Insomnia with
sleep-wake diary and participated in an
be simple, the lack of time and
investigated as part of this
Yoga: A Preliminary Study
initial 1 hour training session in kundalini
encouragement from an instructor in person
controlled trial.
with Sleep-Wake Diaries.
yoga, and a daily home practice for eight
may have contributed to the high drop-out
weeks. They were supported with a brief
rate of participants (18 of 38 initial
follow-up after the first week, and then with
participants).
telephone calls every two weeks or so. Total
wake time was shown to decrease, total
sleep time, efficiency and quality were
shown to increase.
345
Linden (1994) Somatic
Illustration of elements of somatic literacy
The case study was chosen to illustrate the
Literacy: Bringing Somatic
by a case study. Elements include: body
elements discussed. It appeared to be based
Education into Physical
awareness training; relaxation and stress
on practitioner notes.
Education.
management; efficiency of posture and
Not a critical analysis of a method.
movement; emotional awareness; social
awareness; environmental awareness.
Prichard (2008) Relations
571 female fitness class participants were
The sample had on average a normal BMI,
I have reported here the findings
among exercise type, self-
recruited from 6 fitness centres in Adelaide,
although many wished to be lighter.
that relate to yoga primarily,
objectification, and body
S. Australia. They completed a
Exercise in a fitness centre was found to be
although yoga was not the focus of
image in the fitness centre
questionnaire incorporating pre-existing
positively correlated with self-
the study.
environment: The role of
standardised measures of background
objectification when compared to time spent
reasons for exercise.
information, exercise participation, reasons
exercising outside the fitness centre.
for exercise, self-objectification, body-
Appearance based reasons for exercise were
esteem and disordered eating
positively correlated with cardio-based
symptomology. Results were shown using
exercise and negatively with yoga-based
346
descriptive statistics and correlation
exercise. Yoga was also associated
analysis.
positively with health based reasons for
exercise when used as mediator with
appearance. Appearance based reasons for
exercise fully mediated the relationships
between individual cardio workouts and
body image and disordered eating.
Raingruber & Robinson
Nurses at a US hospital were offered one
Themes identified included: noticing
It was not attempted in the
(2007) The effectiveness of
session/week of tai-chi, yoga, guided
sensations of warmth, pulsation and calm;
analysis to differentiate between
Tai-Chi, Yoga, Meditation,
meditation or reiki. They were asked to
becoming aware of an enhanced problem
the complementary classes
and Reiki healing sessions
attend only one class. They were given a
solving ability; noticing an increased ability
offered, although this was stated as
in promoting heaths and
self-care journal and asked to reflect weekly
to focus on patient needs. Quotes from the
an aim.
enhancing problem solving
on several questions. A Heideggarian
journals were used to illustrate the themes.
abilities of registered
phenomenological approach was used to
The experiences of the nurses indicated a
nurses.
identify the meaning and significance of
larger study of self-care approaches might
347
their lived experience. Weekly attendance
show an impact on patient care and nurse
was consistent, and the journals were
retention rates.
amalgamated in the analysis. Themes were
identified by the authors through reading and
re-reading.
Ritter (1996) Effects of
Studies evaluating use of DMT were
A modest effect size was found for studies
DMT defined as “use of
Dance/Movement therapy–
reviewed. Studies that included control
involving children, although observational
movement as a process which
A meta-analysis.
groups and included statistics were used for
reports show improvement. Psychiatric
furthers physical and emotional
the meta-analysis. Effect size calculations
patients showed a modest effect size. Body
integration of an individual”
were performed on studies that looked at the
awareness showed a moderate effect size.
(Sandel, 1975)
effect on children, non-disordered subjects,
Changes in anxiety were shown to be
adult psychiatric patients, mentally
impressive, although this may be state
retarded/physically disabled people, other
versus trait anxiety levels. A small effect
populations, head injury/neuropsychological
size was associated with a change in self-
patients and the elderly. From the studies
concept. A main limitation for this study
348
the original sample group size, age range,
was the lack of well-designed quantitative
diagnoses, references, scales used and
studies that used control groups.
variables studied, length of treatment and
statistics and degrees of freedom were
recorded. The effect size, measuring the
strength of the statistical change was
calculated. Variables including mood,
balance, and movement were investigated.
Effect sizes were then aggregated. Results
were shown in tables.
Wright (2000) Bodies,
Discourse analysis of transcripts of a Y9 PE
The PE lesson showed a predominance of
The contexts of the classes were
meaning and movement: a
gymnastics lesson and a Feldenkrais class in
action processes where the body or body
very different in age and choice of
comparison of the language
a university creative arts course. Questions
parts were the grammatical object. There
student to be there. There was no
of a physical education
of how the embodied selves are constituted
were many instructions and modal
mention of tutor’s intention for the
lesson and a Feldenkrais
in the language used.
auxiliaries used such as, “you should”,
class. I felt that the underlying
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movement class.
“have to”, “must”. The Feldenkrais
philosophy of Feldenkrais was
movement class showed a similar lead by
misrepresented or misunderstood
the teacher, but prompts and requests to
by the author, and this may have
“take notice”, “to visualise” were used. The impacted on the findings and
teacher did not set up a particular standard
of movement performance, and seemed to
be more self-reflective.
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analysis.
APPENDIX 2 WESTERN SOMATIC MOVEMENT PRACTICES
A2.1 GYMNASTIK
A Western form of meditation was developed by Elsa Gindler (1885–1961). Many of her
writings were destroyed by Nazi soldiers in the last few months of the war, however her
students, including Lilly Ehrenfried, Carola Spreads and Charlotte Selver went on to
disseminate her work across Europe and the U.S.. Gindler termed her work Gymnastik, and
defined it as “not the learning of certain movements, but rather the achievement of
concentration”(1986 - 87, p. 35). Her emphasis was that it was not the learning of exercises
(whether movements or relaxation techniques), but the bringing of the full consciousness and
intelligence to what is done that is essential. She said that “each of us must try to gain
understanding...of our own constitution in order to learn how to take care of ourselves”
(Gindler, 1995, p. 39) rather than be taught or corrected by somebody else.
One student of Gindler, Charlotte Selver, immigrated to the U.S. in 1938. For Selver, the
meditative work was “no method, it’s always meeting new whatever reality brings, whatever
at that moment is acute” (Schick, 1987). There was a therapeutic goal in both her and
Gindler’s work, as it was aimed to enable a person to fully know their self and develop their
whole personality through breath and movement. She spoke of the dangers of becoming so
involved in the study of the self that the connection with the world, with reality, was lost. The
students she taught to become practitioners worked to enable their clients to “wake up...learn
to trust their own sensations” (Schick, 1987). Another student, Carola Spreads, applied
Gindler’s work to the experience of breathing. She named her work Physical Re-education,
although she recognised that “this type of work had to do with much more than the mere
physiological” (Hanna, 1981). For her, breathing work was fundamental for both mental and
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physical well-being. The body sense of breath was vital to this work, as she thought that
“intellectual development, not the development of our body sense, is emphasised in our
culture” (Spreads, 1986, p. 9). Although movement was thought to be one way of activating
the body sense “all too often sports training is so mechanical that it does not develop any
sensing of the body at all” (Spreads, 1986, p. 13). Spreads did not believe, like Leboyer
(1974), that the way we breathe is set irreversibly at birth, but instead that through awareness
and attention, it is possible at any stage of life or health to increase the quality of breath, “as if
your breathing had waited for the chance to be freed!” (Spreads, 1986, p. 15).
A2.2 THE ROSEN METHOD
Another refugee to the U.S. was Marion Rosen, who developed the Rosen Method (Mayland,
1991). She was trained by Lucy and Gustav Heyer, who combined massage, breath work,
relaxation and psychoanalysis. Lucy Heyer was a student of Elsa Gindler, and Dr. Gustav
Heyer was a colleague and former student of Dr. Carl Jung. The mixed approach had the
claimed effect of greatly reducing treatment times for patients undergoing psychoanalysis.
Rosen moved to the U.S. after spending some time in the U.K., and worked as a physical
therapist. The Rosen Method stems from physical therapy, and evolved through clinical
practice. The method is summarised:
“The underlying concerns of the approach are transpersonal and transcending, based
on our common experience as embodied beings. The method is based on the premise
that a natural and optimal state of human physical and psychic strength exists. The
Rosen Method aims at obtaining or regaining this optimal state where the full range of
possibilities for expression, and authentic, spontaneous behaviour exist. As such,
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Rosen Method is a pathway to self-awareness and self-acceptance.” (Mayland, 1991,
p. 18)
The practitioner uses touch to facilitate a change in the body state of the client, paying
attention to breath and bringing their awareness to areas of tension or holding. Although the
approach does not intentionally probe the origins of any blocks to relaxation, “the client may
become aware of the emotional content of the barrier and thereby gain access to a new way of
behaving” (Mayland, 1991, p. chapter 2).
A2.3 MIDDENDORF
An approach combing breath work, psychology and movement, was developed by Ilse
Middendorf. She believed that if “a person finds his way based on the experience of his
breathing, he finds his own power and creativity” (Beringer, 1988 - 89). Her approach
includes stretching, pressure points, vowel-space breathing, cave breathing and movements
out of breathing, and is individuated to the needs of the client. Middendorf believed that “all
the yoga ways of breathing come out of the male way...we are the opposite” (Beringer, 1988 89). The aim was to increase sensory awareness so that the breath and the movements of the
breath were in the awareness at all times as she believed that the breath was the key to
corporality– the embodied self– which needed to be experienced rather than understood
(Middendorf, 1990).
A2.4 ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE
A more structural approach to the body was taken by F. M. Alexander (1869–1955). The
Alexander Technique is a one-to one method, and one of his students for twenty years was
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John Dewey, and “Pragamatism and Progressive Education bear the marks of his work”
(Johnson, 1995, p. 83). The method involves learning to inhibit automatic reactions to simple
every day movements and instead learn to move with grace and ease and to be more fully
present, to remove habitual patterns and inhibitions. A student of his, and a Master teacher,
Majory Barlow, spoke about the aims of the method “teaching people to know how to work
on themselves” (Schirle, 1987, p. 24), and how for the practitioner “it is very important how
you put your hands on...[and]...how you take them off” (Schirle, 1987, p. 24). The feelings of
tension that we associate with everyday activities, such as standing, sitting, breathing or
talking, can inhibit a sense of awareness of our body in that moment. A new way of holding
may not ‘feel right’ initially. Old habits must first be unlearned, and this can be more
challenging than addiction to nicotine as “the smoker can abstain from smoking without
interrupting the necessary activities of is daily life” (Alexander, 1932, p. 86). Alexander
Technique is very much about bringing new patterns of movement into every aspect of daily
life.
A2.5 FELDENKRAIS
Another structural hands-on approach to the body is that developed by Moshe Feldenkrais.
He pioneered group sessions of ‘Awareness through Movement’ and one-to-one ‘Functional
Integration’. His sessions were innovative, creative and improvised. “he would do what was
necessary in order to discover how to do a movement more efficiently...he would explore his
body for hours at a time in order to discover the process and its connections” (Hanna, 1985 6, pp. 8 - 20). A student of his, Mia Segal, also trained in Judo, in Japan, and found that “their
philosophy is the same as Moshe’s; that is, in the way both consider the whole body as a unit”
(Hanna, 1985 - 6, p. 18). It was the ‘how’ of the approach, not the ‘what’ that was important.
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Although the sessions may appear to the outside to look like physical therapy, or dance, it is
the inner awareness and experience that is the work. “to understand how my techniques
work...I have deliberately avoided answering the whys” (Feldenkrais, 1981, p. 1). He worked
with people who came to him in pain, either physical or mental, although he did not claim that
his touch was therapeutic. Feldenkrais felt that it was the learning of his clients that
contributed to their healing “the accent is on the learning process rather than the teaching
technique” (Feldenkrais, 1981, p. 10). He saw that after sessions they breathed easier, their
eyes were brighter and they felt lighter and taller. Feldenkrais denied that he had ‘healing
hands’, but that he danced with them “I bring about a state in which they learn to do
something without my teaching them, any more than the woman taught the dancer”
(Feldenkrais, 1981, p. 11).
A2.6 ROLFING
Rolfing is a form of deep tissue manipulation that again uses touch to bring about healing
effects. It is a form of somatic bodywork. Ida Rolf (1896–1979) taught Rolfing in the U.S.,
Canada and England from the 1950s. Rolf developed her work from what she knew about
yoga, osteopathy and homeopathy (Feitis, 1978). Rolfing differs from osteopathy, in that soft
tissues are manipulated to realign the bones of the body. The body is seen as a whole, so that
if one aspect is out of balance, it will affect all the rest. Rolf’s practice of yoga over many
years lead her to believe “that work with the body will improve not only the physical but the
emotional and spiritual life of the individual as well” (Feitis, 1978, p. 6), and that “a balanced
body will give rise to a better human being” (ibid.). After finding the asanas of yoga to not
lengthen and separate the joints as she wished, Rolf learnt exercises from a Miss Brown and
Amy Cochran, two osteopaths. Cochran claimed to have been taught exercises by a psychic
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intervention from Dr Rush (the medic who signed the U.S. declaration of Independence). The
combination of exercises and manipulative techniques then formed the basis of her work,
which crystallised into an exact method when she began teaching others how to practice her
technique. Rolf did not appreciate others taking elements of her method and incorporating it
into their own work, and in order to put a stop to others stealing her ideas, she developed a
sequence of treatment that would be applied equally to all bodies, whatever they presented
with. Her students were not taught educational, psychological or physical aspects of the
body, but were expected to find anatomy and physiology tuition and strategies to deal with
emotional issues on their own. Rolf’s approach to the body was holistic in that she sought to
balance the body, to find a structural alignment and effect change that would affect the whole
person (ibid.).
A2.7 ASTON PATTERNING
A lighter manipulative approach was favoured by Judith Aston. As well as manipulating soft
tissues gently, in her work she recommends the redesign of the daily environment to support
balance and promote flexibility. Aston was fascinated by movement as a child, and trained in
dance. She did not pursue Laban movement notation or dance therapy at university, as would
have been the conventional progression from a dance training, but went on to work as a
movement and dance teacher in a community college. Her view of teaching became “if you
begin where people are already successful, you can help them transition into the new material,
step by step” (Aston, 1995, p. 209). Aston suffered severe spinal injuries in two car accidents
in the 60s, and having been told by her physical therapist that she would never dance again,
she went to Ida Rolf. Although the sessions were painful, the effects were positive, and Aston
was asked to develop a comprehensive system to teach Rolfers how to see a body in
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movement and in stillness so that they could judge which structural changes would be most
beneficial. Aston also trained in Rolfing, then adapted it to become less painful, and softer.
This new form became known as Aston-Patterning®. This registering of approaches and
names as they developed is endemic within the somatic movement field, as practitioners seek
to find secure business models for their work, and protect its integrity. Aston’s work was
endorsed by Feldenkrais as “we shared the understanding that people usually need to be in a
more everyday consciousness to learn to use body/mind changes and improvements in their
everyday life” (Aston, 1995, p. 212). Aston’s approach recognises an intrinsic asymmetry in
every body, and rather than seeking to work towards a perpendicularity with respect to gravity
and symmetry, she encourages a “negotiation of the body’s natural asymmetries through
movement, and helps to problem-solve each unique structure according to its own needs,
limitations and abilities” (Aston, 1995, p. 213). Although Aston’s work is not primarily
aimed at children, she states “if we had been taught some of these ideas about our body’s
optimal movement possibilities when we were children, we wouldn’t encounter so many of
these problems as adults” (Aston, 1995, p. 216). In addition to movement and manipulative
bodywork, Aston designed, patented, and now sells objects for people to use in their everyday lives, including products for the car, home and office.
A2.8 DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY
Dance Movement Therapy originated from the work of Rudolf Von Laban. His exploration
of the emotional and psychological dimensions of movement patterns was brought to the U.S.
by Irmgard Bartenieff (1900–1981). She trained with Laban in Berlin, in the first few years
of his school. Laban was a contemporary of Gindler, Alexander, Dalcroze and Freud among
others. His work resulted from the study of martial arts, and was applied to dancers. Laban
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developed Labanotation, a way in which to record the movements of dancers and to
choreograph. His trainings emphasised “exploring your own capacities in the movement”
(Rubenfeld, 1977 , p. 11), and he later developed dance within the English Public school
system. Bartenieff trained in physical therapy and worked with children rehabilitating from
polio. She introduced dance and dance rhythm to bed-ridden children, and liaised with their
psychiatrists and art therapists to work “on the mental problems as well as the physical”
(Rubenfeld, 1977 , p. 11). She went on to work with patients suffering from mental illness as
a dance movement therapist and use how movement influences the state of mind “I sometimes
tell people...to put their arms towards the ceiling and say “I’m depressed”...it’s a fun way of
demonstrating how movement affects feeling, and feelings affect movement” (Rubenfeld,
1977 , p. 12).
A2.9 EUTONY
Eutony, a modern school of somatic work, was founded by Gerda Alexander (1908–1994).
Eutony is a system of training designed to teach improved control over movements and
posture in everyday life and in order to treat neuro-muscular disorders. It has also been
incorporated into the training of theatre, music and physical education. Alexander initially
trained with the ideas of Jacques Dalcroze. Dalcroze is a music education for children,
whereby they experience the music with their whole body. Having progressed through the
system, she later taught it in Denmark. From Dalcroze, Alexander began to develop her own
system of movement, that was less imitative and incorporated “living movement which freed
the personality” (Bersin, 1983 - 4, p. 5). Eutony does not give models of movement, but
instead allows every person to develop their own expression. The balance of tension and
muscle tone is fundamental to Eutony (which comes from the Greek Eu- harmonious, and the
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Latin tonus- tension). Alexander believed that tone changes as a result of effort and
emotional state. An artist needs to be flexible in their tone so that they can create and express
their message. For the audience “what you do not experience in your whole body will remain
merely intellectual information without life or spiritual reality” (Bersin, 1983 - 4, p. 5). It is
the tone, or tonus of the body that regulates how an individual relates to the world around
them, “a normal, flexible tonus enables a person to adapt to all life situations and to have a
whole range of feelings and not to be fixed in one state” (Alexander, 1985, p. 21). By
working with someone to regulate their tonus, Alexander saw differences in their physical,
emotional and spiritual state. She began to use the work in therapy, looking always to bring
“the person into greater awareness and contact with himself...awareness of mind, sensation of
the outer form of the body, in contact with the surroundings, awareness of breathing,
circulation, tissues, inner space with organs and bone” (Bersin, 1983 - 4, p. 8). Alexander’s
work became associated with free schools such as Summerhill (Vaughan, 2006), as well as
physical rehabilitation and psychological trauma. However Eutony was a system designed to
be part of everyday life, not practised apart from it.
The summary of somatic approaches gives an idea of the variety, and the connections between
methods. From working with the breath, to the structure of the body; giving sessions that are
improvised and never repeated to a series of set manipulations; using movement for music
and dance education or therapy. As has been seen, the fragmentation of the field, and hence
the difficulty it has in some fields of gaining recognition, has in part come about as
practitioners have sought to preserve the integrity of their work by registering or patenting
their approach. With many of these forms, although practitioners have undergone similar
trainings, they have individual approaches to each client or group they work with. In an effort
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to bring together practitioners and schools working to the same aim, organisations such as the
International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association have been formed
(ISMETA). In 2011, ISMETA had twenty-two member organisations, including Alexander
Technique International, Laban Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies and the Rolf
Institute. My own training organisation, the Institute of Integrative Bodywork and Movement
Therapy (IBMT) directed by Linda Hartley, along with the School for Body-Mind-Centering®
(BMC), the school through which she trained, are represented. ISMETA offers accreditation
for its practitioner members, so that a cohesive and united front for this field may be portrayed
to the world. My training in IBMT incorporated principles of BMC, and integrated Hartley’s
training in Dance Movement Therapy, transpersonal psychotherapy and the movement form
Authentic Movement.
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APPENDIX 3 LESSON PLAN FROM PHASE 1
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Introduction to who I am, and Introduce week’s class–
Introduce week’s class– finding
what the project is. Who
finding shapes to be still.
shapes to be still. Start off by
they are. Clapping hands
What do they think will
asking class to be still for one
names in a circle. Sit down
be easiest? Will the
minute, notice what they think
stand up, stand on one leg,
easiest be what they
then take 2 minutes to write/draw
clap hands, jumping (a bit
enjoy? What would
what they thought/felt. Use ideas
like simon says) standing
make it easier? Harder?
of images, feeling emotions, what
quiet for one minute- what is
(20 mins) Sit for one
you sense from your body.
it like? Circle discussion
minute. Clapping,
Explain about the project,
sitting for one minute (what
standing, stretching,
introduce a little about the
is it like?) lying for one
jumping for about 10-15
philosophy of body/mind and
minute roll around, find a
minutes stand for 1
phenomenology- children’s
pair talk about which you
minute. Talk to a partner
experience of embodiment
liked/didn’t like which was
about how they felt
important work. Ask class what
easiest/hardest, join up pairs,
standing/sitting, then
they think would make it easier to
then come back to a circle.
choose to either stand or
be still? What makes it harder?
Make a shape game.
sit back to back for one
Can you ever be entirely still?
minute. Back to circle,
(you still breathe, your organs
what was it like with a
function...) What is still? Take
partner? Favourite
lead from them. Try exercise-
shapes– choice of
based around
drawing or showing, in a
sunsalute/stretches/jumps etc.
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circle.
Try standing still. Try in pairs
sitting, standing. Ask them to
take 2 more minutes same piece
of paper and draw/write any notes
additions...
Choice of lying still or favourite
shapes game
Notes– for the group with
Notes– allow the groups
Notes– play the ball catching
children I know already,
discussions to let
game if new children.
allow time to ask about their
everyone talk. Direct a
Ask about what they think
summer, how they are.
little more with the
philosophy is (they have
Possibility of missing out
younger group. Clap
philosophy sessions with the
name/clapping if too shy or
names/throw a ball if
head...)
whole class calling out
new children in the class.
Extend by talking about
everyone’s name.
Extend by talking about
breathing– did you notice
breathing– did you notice yourself breathe? With your
yourself breathe? With
partner did you breathe at the
your partner did you
same time?
breathe at the same time?
What was it like to be so
still?
Resources– mats, digital
Resources– mats, balls,
Resources– mats, ball, paper,
camera.
paper, pencils/colours,
colours, digital camera.
digital camera.
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APPENDIX 4 DETAIL PLAN FOR LESSON FROM PHASE 1
Week 2– Balances– How can you be still and balance? What happens to
your mind and body when you balance? How would you like to be able to
balance? Can you imagine that? How does it feel inside?
Introduce balancing– how would you like to be able to balance? What does it
mean to be balanced? What do you need to balance? (concentration muscles
eyes thinking stillness...)
Curl up (mouse pose 1 min)
Talk– make a mind map of answers as a class/individual
Let’s see how we can balance...
On bottoms, curl up, boat, upanista konasana
On two feet, squatting, on toes, clasping hands, head down twisting
On two feet, eagle, twisting
Utkatasana, wideleg standing
Two feet one hand, one hand down twist, down dog variation
One leg tree, dancer, crow
Two hands two feet, plank, front plank
Two hands one foot dog, one foot plank side plank leg up
Two hands– crow lolasana
Mouse again 1 min
Show and tell balances– in pairs?
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Class 2- keep breathing whilst balancing– eyes open eyes closed what does it
mean to be balanced? Balance in pairs– pic of each pair
Class 3– is it easier or harder to be still and balance? Is your mind quieter or
louder? Is this a different way of being still? Breathing? Draw how you
would like to be balanced own mind map (particularly Group 2) balance in
pairs ?
Class 1– more simon says style– mats in rows– images of pupils balancing
class mind map

Group 1– clapping in positions again– clap clap name clap clap pose
clap clap pose balance on 1 point balance on 2 points balance with a
partner in a circle balancing on one leg, sit stand

Group 2– clapping names clap up down sit one leg two legs pictures of
balances.
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APPENDIX 5 LESSON PLAN FROM PHASE 2
Moving about (developmental movement patterns + animals)
0:00
Come in sit on mats– start in mouse pose
“how we move about”
0:02
After 1 minute stretch forward onto belly
0:04
move just your head, very slowly from side to side, look about and around you
Move your arms, and legs, keep your belly on the floor, then lift that off too
0:06
let your self move like a snake, twist, roll wiggle
Cobra, hands down, arch back look over your shoulders– free hear and neck
Grow your legs, let them come up and stretch like a gecko or a lizard
Can you move forward like a lizard?
0:10
roll onto your back and stretch as much as you can, then curl right in and twist from
side to side to side to side
Rock up to sit and balance on your bottom
Stretch your arms up and legs out then plank pose and move forward legs and arms
and bottom all working
Easier? Harder? Same? Different?
0:12
kneel up
And squat, then dog, then moving, crawling like a bear or a baby or a cartoon animal
or a frog or a rabbit
0:18
take 3 minutes and draw how you move and why
0:23
1 – balance, 2 – move on 2 parts, 3 – on 3 parts 4 – on 4 parts, 5 sit game, also
everyone watch ______ so they can show how they like to move
0:30
1 min mouse
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APPENDIX 6 PLANS AND PRE-SESSION REFLECTION FROM PHASE 3
“This is the first time I am back working at the school for a long time. I am to be with
this class (Y5+6, age 9 - 11) on Friday afternoons for most weeks for at least this term.
Friday afternoons their Teaching Assistant is not in school, so my presence as a
qualified teacher and known person to the children is helpful. Also because of the
current building work and upheaval the school are not able to use the village hall for
indoor PE. The school have bought in outdoor games/PE for every class, but they
used to also do sessions with the children in the week. These sessions help to meet the
curriculum demands for dance and PE.
My ideas for these sessions are to focus on the reflecting, self-awareness and
embodied sensations of movement. These wider aims can fit into citizenship, Personal
Social Health Education and Every Child Matters criteria. I would like the sessions to
be partly child directed in that over time they can be shaped to the desires of the
children in that we could use cameras, artwork, words and movement to create
displays, tell stories and explore what it means to move and reflect and think for each
of us.
My plan for the first afternoon is to focus on stretching. With questions including:
o What does it mean?
o What does it feel like?
o What is the difference between a good stretch and a bad stretch?
o Thinking about the sensations we get from our bodies and what they tell us,
and how they make us feel.
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o How else can we feel stretched?
o What helps when you feel stretched too far?
o What happens if we stretch something too far?
o How can we use the sensations from our bodies to process what we feel?
o How can you tell if someone else is stretched?
I want to include simple warm-up sukhasana twists, side ends and forward bends,
sphinx pose, wrist and toe stretches, ½ dog and sun salute preparation and sun salutes.
I would like to include sun salutes most weeks as a good sequence to practice and
build up. I also plan to allow time to write, to draw and to rest.” (Reflective Journal
phase 3)
Plan:
o 1 min quiet
o Warm up– on floor wind releasing pose, leg stretches, supine twist, hip
stretches, rock and roll (Schiffmann, 1996, p. 259)
o Sukhasana (cross legged) twist and forward and side and back (Farhi, 2000, p.
161)
o Trikonasana and reverse trikonasana (triangle and reverse triangle pose)
(Farhi, 2000, p. 98 & 108)
o Prasarita padottonasana (wide legged standing pose) (Schiffmann, 1996, p.
150)
o Parsvottonasana including back bend (Schiffmann, 1996, p. 144)
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o Vibrabhadrasana I, and Vibrabhadrasana III with a partner (warrior 1 and 3
poses) (Iyengar, 1966, p. 69 & 73)
o Freeze game– think of a feeling/emotion show with body/face then partner has
to guess
o Write– think which were easy to show/share which were harder + why
o Rest (Plan phase 3)
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APPENDIX 7 DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS
Pattern
Brain Area and Associated
Evolutionary Level of
Functions
Pattern
1. Cellular Breathing. Each Cell– Basic life
processes; internal respiration
Invertebrate: one celled
organisms.
and energy production,
“being”.
2. Navel Radiation.
“Abdominal brain” solar
Invertebrate: echinoderms
plexus– integration of limbs
e.g. starfish.
into the centre, digestion and
basic metabolic processes.
3. Mouthing.
Spinal cord and lower
Invertebrate: tunicate e.g. sea
medulla– control of visceral
squirt.
functions, establishing of
vertical axis, some primitive
reflexes.
4. Pre-Spinal.
5. Spinal Push
(Head).
6. Spinal Push (Tail).
Spinal cord and upper
Invertebrate: lancelet
medulla– as for 3., “doing”.
amphioxus.
Hindbrain: Lower Medulla- as
5.&6. Vertebrate: inchworm
for 3..
as movement example.
Hindbrain: Upper Medulla- as
for 3..
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Pattern
7. Spinal Reach and
Pull (Head).
8. Spinal Reach and
Pull (Tail).
9. Homologous Push
(Upper).
Brain Area and Associated
Evolutionary Level of
Functions
Pattern
Midbrain: Lower Cerebral
7.&8. Vertebrate: Fish/snake.
Peduncles.
Midbrain: Upper Cerebral
Peduncles.
Midbrain: Inferior Colliculi-
9.&10. Vertebrate:
Relay centres for auditory and
Amphibian (frog).
visual impulses.
10. Homologous Push
(Lower).
11. Homologous Reach
and Pull (Upper).
Midbrain: Superior Colliculi–
as for 9..
Ancient Forebrain:
11.&12. Vertebrate: Land
Hypothalamus– important for
dwelling (rabbit).
emotional and visceral
processes, control of the
Autonomic Nervous System
and maintenance of
homeostasis.
12. Homologous Reach
and Pull (Lower).
Ancient Forebrain: Thalamus–
relay centre for sensory
information, pleasure/pain
reflexes, seat of perception.
13. Homolateral Push
Hindbrain: Cerebellum/Pons–
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13.&14. Vertebrate: Reptile
Pattern
(Upper).
Brain Area and Associated
Evolutionary Level of
Functions
Pattern
helps to establish vertical axis
(lizard).
with Medulla and Midbrain.
Controls balance, and
automatic movement / control.
14. Homolateral Push
(Lower).
Hindbrain: Cerebellum/Pons
(Anterior portion)– as for 13..
15.&16. Modern Forebrain–
15.&16. Vertebrate:
Reach and Pull
centre of many complex motor
mammal.
(Upper).
and perceptual functions, the
15. Contralateral
cerebral cortex is the seat of
conscious learning,
intelligence, creative and
intellectual thought,
imagination, communication
and language.
16. Contralateral
Reach and Pull
(Lower).
Adapted from (Hartley, 1989, pp. 96 - 97)
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APPENDIX 8 DATA FROM SCIENCE WEEK
“We had just over an hour to think about a story that we could show just using
ourselves...
We wrote and sketched our ideas.
FIGURE 67 L.'S NOTES FROM SCIENCE WEEK
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FIGURE 68 T.S THOUGHTS FOR SCIENCE WEEK
Lots of us drew pictures of animals
FIGURE 69 A.'S GIRAFFE
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FIGURE 70 T.'S HERON
FIGURE 71 K.'S CAT
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Some of us drew pictures of futuristic animals
FIGURE 72 E.'S HEXOPUS
FIGURE 73 M.'S FUTURISTIC ANIMAL
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Others drew pictures of themselves or thought about what they would like to do
FIGURE 74 R. SPINNING AROUND
FIGURE 75 C.'S WANTING TO TAKE PICTURES
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FIGURE 76 B.'S MOUSE POSE
We looked at some stories for inspiration
We combined all of our ideas to include chasing, running and our favourite animals.
Our Story
A Butterfly saw a flower
A Blue-Tit saw the Butterfly seeing the flower
A Mouse saw the Blue Tit seeing the flower
Another Mouse saw a Mouse seeing a Blue Tit seeing the butterfly seeing the flower
A Cat saw the mice and the Blue Tit seeing the Butterfly seeing the flower
A Leopard saw the Cat seeing the mice and the Blue Tit seeing the Butterfly seeing
the flower
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A Gecko saw the Leopard seeing the Cat seeing the mice and the Blue Tit seeing the
Butterfly seeing the flower
A Heron saw the Gecko seeing the Leopard seeing the Cat seeing the mice and the
Blue Tit seeing the Butterfly seeing the flower
A Giraffe saw the Heron seeing the Gecko seeing the Leopard seeing the Cat seeing
the mice and the Blue Tit seeing the Butterfly seeing the flower
A Lion saw the Giraffe seeing the Heron seeing the Gecko seeing the Leopard seeing
the Cat seeing the mice and the Blue Tit seeing the Butterfly seeing the flower
An Explorer saw the Lion seeing the Giraffe seeing the Heron seeing the Gecko seeing
the Leopard seeing the Cat seeing the mice and the Blue Tit seeing the Butterfly
seeing the flower
FIGURE 77 THE EXPLORER SEEING THE LION SEEING THE GIRAFFE,
SEEING THE HERON…
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A Penguin saw the Explorer seeing the Lion seeing the Giraffe seeing the Heron
seeing the Gecko seeing the Leopard seeing the Cat seeing the mice and the Blue Tit
seeing the Butterfly seeing the flower
The Penguin didn’t know what the funny creature was and decided to frighten it
The Explorer was frightened and saw the Penguin and ran away. The Giraffe saw the
Explorer being frightened and ran away.
The Butterfly saw the Blue Tit and ran away.
The Mice and the Blue Tit saw the Cat and ran away
The Cat saw the Leopard which saw the Gecko and the Heron and they all ran away
Then there was pandemonium!”
FIGURE 78 THEN THERE WAS PANDEMONIUM!
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APPENDIX 9 MY HEART LEAPS UP (WORDSWORTH)
‘My Heart Leaps Up’ by William Wordsworth.
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky;
So was it when my life began;
So it is now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety. (Albery, 1997, p. 95)
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APPENDIX 10 NOTES FROM YEAR 2 PHYSICAL EDUCATION
SESSION
“The class are still working on the theme of journeys overall but in the last two weeks
have also been looking at instructions– first, then, next and wrote instructions for an
elephant dance which they all showed to me. My idea had been to start sequencing
movements used to journey– over, under, through imaginary obstacles in pairs and this
fitted very well.
Working with the topic of ‘pictures’ that is art, and the overall term’s topic of
‘festivals’. Using the word “picture” as a verbal cue for the children to freeze and
strike a pose.
We started with the children moving how a firework moves when it is bought from a
shop on its journey home (i.e. no exploding!)” (Notes from PE sessions).
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APPENDIX 11 FOGEL’S PRINCIPLES OF THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT
Principle
1. Resources. Recovering, finding and
maintaining resources
Definition
Resources are a constant and reliable
presence in the body, mental imagery, or
surroundings that feels safe, stable, and
supportive. People need resources as they reexperience the feelings of threat, anger, or
pain that led to the suppression of embodied
self-awareness
2. Slowing down. Getting off the fast
Encourage shifting from thinking to feeling
track of thinking and doing in order to by starting with what the person can already
learn how to stay longer in the
feel in their bodies and develop a sense of
subjective emotional present.
competence to experience these, to expand
their tolerance for more embodied selfawareness, and to come back to resources for
safety when needed.
3. Coregulation. Therapist as
Monitoring autonmicarousal and relaxation
coregulating psychological regulator
and helping the person to maintain
to enhance a sense of safety in the
homeostasis by shifting intensity, speeding
relationship and in one’s own body.
up or slowing down, helping the person to
come back to resources when needed;
pointing out when the person leaves or comes
back to the subjective emotional present.
4. Verbalisation. Verbalising
Helping the person find words to describe
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Principle
Definition
interoceptive body sensations and
their experience, encouraging communication
emotions while remaining in the
about experience without losing contact with
subjective emotional present.
embodied self-awareness.
5. Links and boundaries. Clarifying
Locating sources of sensation in the body,
location and connections in the body
opening defensive or immobilised postures,
schema within the self and between
finding and feeling “lost” body areas (feet
self and others.
and legs, pelvis, the back) coordination of
movements, finding links and boundaries
between self and others, feeling, moving.
6. Self-regulation. Taking the initiative
on one’s own self-restoration.
Becoming one’s own resource by being
proactive in finding needed resources, asking
for and arranging for guidance, healing, and
soothing from things and people (warm
baths, massages, soft clothing etc.).
7. Reengagement, Engagement with
active embodied self-awareness.
Ability to remain in the subjective emotional
present of embodied self-awareness while
experiencing the world with empowerment,
triumph, and assertiveness. Using awareness
to make choices about well-being such as to
leave unwanted situations, to say “yes” and
“no”, to slow down, or to rest. Growing
empathy for others and ability to be in touch
with others while staying in one’s own
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Principle
Definition
subjective emotional present.
8. Letting go. Allowing oneself to
Only after the previous steps have been
engage in forms of restoration,
achieved can one “let go” without losing
engagement and normal absorption
embodied self-awareness. Letting go
in the subjective emotional present.
includes being able to “step off the treadmill”
of life to take care of yourself, the acceptance
of your limits, a sense of compassion for
others, and the ability to let yourself get lost
in pleasurable creativity and self-discovery
TABLE OF PRINCIPLES OF THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT OF LOST EMBODIED
SELF-AWARENESS (FOGEL, 2009, PP 23 - 24)
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APPENDIX 12 CASE STUDY: REFLECTIVE PRACTICE WITHIN TEACHER
EDUCATION
Whilst on placement in schools as part of my PGCE I chose to explore the idea of reflective
practice and embodiment from the perspective of educators. The voices of the staff I spoke to
seemed to be in accordance with each other a lot of the time and focus on the issue identified
by Hatton Smith (1995) in that in order to develop reflection, the ideology of teacher
education needs to be different from that traditionally employed. The traditional approach
emphasises competencies, whereas a change of emphasis that establishes and supports
conditions for different kinds of reflection would allow a critically reflective approach. This
model of reflection needs to consciously take in the wider values, beliefs and frame in
considering practical problems. Within the context of teacher training this means including
the tension between reflecting to improve practice and the need to show reflective practice to
pass an assessed course. This has bigger import when it comes to the idea of educating
children and young people to reflect effectively.
I was interested in how other staff perceived the questions of ‘what is effective reflecting?
How do we go about being an effective reflector? What is it that we reflect on? How do we
perceive ourselves as reflectors?’ I wanted to know the aspects of what it is that a reflective
teacher then does to change their practice– when they become a reflexive practitioner, as I felt
that this also had relevance to my research work with children. The first aspect I investigated
was how teachers perceived embodiment and embodied reflection.
A12.1 MEASURING EMBODIMENT
The nature of embodiment as a state of being is challenging to quantify. There are no
standardised tests to ascertain whether an individual is embodied. This is in part because
embodiment is not only state of being but also a process. In order to address this gap
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Anderson (2006) designed a scale to assess forms of body awareness that support overall
wellness. She terms this the Body Intelligence Scale (BIS). Body Intelligence is not meant to
be the same as body awareness or kinaesthetic intelligence but a measure of conscious
awareness of an individuals’ physical body and environment. The BIS is an online
questionnaire of thirty-two statements relating to three sub-scales, Energy Body Awareness
(E-BAS), Comfort Body Awareness (C-BAS), and Inner Body Awareness (I-BAS). Both
qualitative and quantitative methods were used to develop the BIS. Participants took part in
developing a Likert scale format of 200 items. The report indicates the need for further
research to validate scales, as if standardised it has potential as a measure that could be
analysed quantitatively. It is a limited measure, due in part to its reliance on terminology that
may be considered ‘woolly’ or ‘hippified’, as well as the risk that participants would answer
aspirationally rather than reflecting their true embodied experiences. I felt it was not suitable
for those with a good knowledge of somatic practices, nor was it suitable in its current form to
be used with children or young people. I used the scale with a science teacher and an artist,
and completed it myself to explore perceptions of issues relating to reflective practice and
embodiment.
The science teacher (AR) volunteered to be involved, and as such may have displayed an
atypical interest in the research topic. She was a young teacher at the beginning of her career,
with a strong physical background in dance and swimming. It would be necessary to conduct
a much larger scale research project to identify whether AR was a typical example of a
science teacher. The conversation was open ended, in that we were talking about reflective
practice, but the path of the conversation followed AR’s comments and interests. I took her
through Anderson’s questionnaire. AR has dyslexic patterns, so this was achieved with me
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asking the questions, and writing down the answers on a printout. If the meaning of a
statement was unclear, then we discussed it before AR gave a response. The Likert scale asks
for an intensity of feeling towards statements, and these were recorded as AR stated them.
We returned to my notes from our conversation, and AR clarified, added to and explained any
points that she wanted to. A second meeting allowed her an opportunity to discuss the results,
the questionnaire or any other issues arising from the conversation.
The themes that I have chosen to include here are on effective reflecting and scores from the
BIS– perceptions of embodiment from a science teacher’s perspective.
A12.2 EFFECTIVE REFLECTING
What is effective reflecting? How do we go about being an effective reflector? What is it
that we reflect on? How do we perceive ourselves as reflectors? As discussed, there are no
definitive answers. This theme arose due to AR’s questioning and defining what it is that
makes a good teacher, which to her was part of what it means to be a reflective practitioner.
Also here is the aspect of what it is that a reflective teacher then does to change their practice–
when they become a reflexive practitioner.
“Nowadays I reflect by just thinking about it all– and I do things differently as a
result...I relate teaching encounters outcomes to the specific groups of children and the
group dynamics in different classes and that affects the choices I make about activities
and approaches to topics...My own reflections are useful to me...I make my own
reflections on an ad hoc basis– I make mental notes during a lesson or at other times
and this becomes automatic...A flexible teacher and a reflective teacher are the same
thing...A reflective teacher equals a good teacher but a good teacher does not
automatically equal a reflective teacher. You have to be an effective reflective
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teacher…It is important to be effective at reflecting...A reflective teacher makes
changes due to the class, the individuals’ history in that class and their own self and
mood...Being reflective is also about being more aware of yourself, your ability, your
feelings and your health.” (AR)
This part of the conversation was one that AR felt most need to clarify as we went through the
collaborative process. The definition of a ‘good’ teacher and an ‘effective reflective’ teacher
and how they can be the same and yet different was something that she needed to explain.
The ways in which some teachers can, “do the same thing the same way each time and just
change for the ability of the students” and yet be a ‘good’ teacher. AR definitely saw herself
as a reflective teacher. She also saw herself as a good teacher. She identified colleagues
within the school who would benefit, in her opinion, from learning to reflect more effectively.
This included individuals who did not seem to be aware of how they were perceived by the
students with regard to their voice, manner and mannerisms.
A12.3 SCORES FROM THE BIS
The effectiveness of a reflective practice depends on the data the practitioner has to reflect on.
They need to be able to pick up on how, when and in what manner what they do impacts on
the teaching environment and the learners within it. To be aware of how they feel and hold
themselves within the situation. AR identified herself as sceptical about ‘energy stuff’ and
things that were too ‘hippified’, yet was interested to find out more. My preconception was
that she would score low in the BIS as scientists are not perceived to be in touch with their
bodies, and this was based purely on knowing her profession. Before this interview I had not
spent much time with AR, and did not know her well. AR also thought she would have a low
score. As AR and I went through the questions, her responses were discussed, explored and
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recorded. I perceived her to have a developed awareness of herself and her body. I realised
that my preconceptions were not necessarily accurate. The statements were separated into the
three subscales– E-BAS, C-BAS and I-BAS. The descriptions of the scales and their
meanings are paraphrased from Anderson’s website (2007). For contrast, I include my own
scores, and those of the artist. The information on other’s scores was unavailable to AR as I
did not want her to perceive the BIS as a competitive activity, but rather a tool for selfdevelopment.
The E-BAS included the questions that AR perceived as most challenging to her view of the
world. She questioned statements like, “I can sense the life of the plants and trees in my
environment”. Her comments on this sort of question were that it seemed very American.
This reaction is noted by Anderson who comments that “for some, Energy Body Awareness
may seem unusual or like the sort of thing that people in California do” (Anderson, 2006, p.
360). AR’s score was 42%. This tallied with AR’s own perceptions, as she stated that she
just didn’t believe in the environment having energy fields. My own score was 100%, and the
artist scored 53%. AR scored the lowest and this may indicate a need to grow her selfawareness in this area. However she also demonstrated and talked about a strong intuitive
sense that she used when teaching, and to reflect on her teaching. This was a point we
discussed as it could be used not as a ‘failure’ but an area to be reflected on and developed.
She talked of a sense of confidence within class that was not available to her when in a group
of colleagues or professionals. She wished to progress her career and challenge herself in this
way, perhaps by applying for a pastoral position of responsibility. We talked about how it is
possible to embody and project feelings of confidence whilst internally feeling less secure.
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AR’s C-BAS score was 71%. This measured a level of comfort in and satisfaction with the
body in everyday life. This scale included statements like, “I feel comfortable in the world
most of the time”. In conversation AR talked of how she used to do a lot of dancing and
swimming when she was younger, and had noticed that whilst teaching she doesn’t get as
much time to do this. She does exercise by going to the gym, dance classes and walking to
work, however she mentioned often how she has little time to focus on herself and is very
tired by the demands of her job. AR’s answers were quite divided on this scale– either
strongly agreeing or disagreeing with statements. My own score on C-BAS was 92%, and the
artist scored 78%. These higher scores indicate a greater sense of internal comfort and
satisfaction which may be expected due to differences in age, and career path. I was both
reflecting with AR and also sharing my own personal experiences as a woman. Although AR
has more experience teaching science in a school setting that I do, I am ten years older than
her. I have also had children, which changed my perceptions of myself as an individual and
towards my embodied self.
AR’s I-BAS score was 89%. This scale relates to the awareness of minor changes within the
body and how these relate to immediate and changing circumstances. An example statement
includes, “I notice when I have been in one position too long.” AR was very happy to achieve
a high score. She related her awareness of her inner body directly to her teaching subject and
scientific background. She spoke of how her knowledge of anatomy and physiology meant
that she is able to visualise the internal workings of her body in a way that is not accessible to
those without this training. She gave the example of her mother being surprised by a bruise
compared to her knowledge of the workings of the body’s healing mechanism. My own score
on this scale was 96%, and the artist scored 100%. This high score may indicate the high
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level of self-awareness that a creative individual needs in order to produce art works that
represent the world around them and the creative process.
From the data it can be seen this science teacher did use the information from her body to
inform her reflections. However she did not initially perceive herself to be embodied, nor did
she consciously choose to reflect in this way. Her unconscious awareness of herself informed
the intuitive process that she developed in order to reflect on her teaching. This process was
not developed by her training, but her practice. My own preconceived ideas were that a
science teacher would be less embodied than someone who had spent years practising to
develop their inner and outer body awareness: “the scientific mind is set apart from what is to
be known” (Bordo, 1986, p. 451). This may be due to its extreme masculinization, or
separation of mind and intellect from the body and nature. To an extent this was true.
However, the scientific training in the inner workings of the body allowed this science teacher
to develop an inner awareness and understanding of her body which she could use to make
sense of her own perceptions. After using the BIS with AR, I decided that it would not be
appropriate for my research sessions. The scale was aimed at adults, and I felt that many of
the statements could alienate the children.
A12.4 PERCEPTIONS OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
But what of the purpose of reflective practice? Views of this, as seen by education
professionals, can be seen to focus very much on day-to-day practice. The importance of a
clear definition of what it means to be reflective, and what reflection actually is also becomes
clear when it is used within an assessed Initial Teacher Training programme (ITT). However,
for any given individual, a reflective practice can mean something slightly different. Their
perceptions are personal and subjective to them. My own ITT tried to address this by asking
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the following question of trainees, “Reflecting on practice seems a good idea, but how will I
know if I am reflecting on the right thing?” (iTeach , 2009). However, asking trainees to
think for themselves only develops one aspect of reflection. It does not model reflective
practice.
Teaching reflective practice is an issue for teacher educators. The pedagogy of reflective
practice is discussed by Hatton and Smith (1995). They discuss the ideas of Dewey (1933)
and identify four key issues:
“[1]whether reflection is limited to thought process about action or is inextricably
bound up in action...[2]whether reflection is immediate and short term or ...extended
and systematic...[3]whether reflection is by its very nature problem-centred or
not...[and 4] how consciously the one reflecting takes account of wider...values and
beliefs in framing...practical problems.” (Hatton & Smith, 1995)
The importance of available time is identified as essential to the development of effective
reflection. The structure and ideology of ITT programmes is also discussed. The practice of
assessing reflective writing or journals is considered by Bourner (2003), who believes that “if
reflective learning is not assessed it is most likely to be neglected”. Yet enforced reflective
practice was described by AR as “a ‘tick box’ activity”. If this is how a trainee approaches
reflective tasks and questions then they are unlikely to develop and learn through a journal
(Breen, 2000).
In order to see whether AR’s views of effective reflective practice and her experience of ITT
were shared by other education professionals, I chose to investigate perceptions of a reflective
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practice from three different perspectives within a different school. I interviewed a member
of a Senior Management Team (FA), a newly qualified class teacher (LT), and a non-teaching
member of staff (HI). FA acted as mentor for trainees, although was not actively taking that
role at the time we spoke. She informed me that she speaks nationally about the importance
of Emotional Literacy within teaching. HI is the Inclusion Manager of the school and had
built up a department that consisted of a number of staff, who took on various roles to teach,
support and contain those pupils who are at risk of exclusion. In the school Inclusion tended
to have those boys whose behaviour in class, or non-attendance at school was a problem. HI
also acted as key person within the school for Looked After Children, of whom a number also
visited his department on a regular basis. LT was a teacher who had recently finished her
induction year. She was not a new entrant to the teaching profession. She had previously
worked as a teaching assistant. Her voice is of someone who has recently completed the
requirements to become a fully qualified teacher, but also as an experienced educator.
During semi-structured conversations I asked questions, encouraging discussion and
elaboration. The dialogues were directed around my interests, in that we were discussing
reflective practice and the educators’ perceptions of reflective practice. At the beginning of
each conversation I offered them the chance to see my notes, read through and add to them,
and to see the typed up transcript so that they could check again and add to or amend
anything. Each declined this offer. Although I was explicit about the subject being the
participant’s own perceptions of reflective practice, FA spoke as though she were guiding me
on my own reflective practice. I did ask her whether her experience of reflection in her voice
as a member of the Senior Management Team of the school would be different to her own
voice as teacher, but she said that it would not be. In our dialogue she kept referring to me as
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a trainee teacher, and techniques that I could do. At first I reiterated that the questions were
not about my own practice, however as this continued throughout the interview I chose to take
on the role of an inexperienced reflector as this elicited more comment and dialogue. Within
the school context, I was aware of the balances of power and when I spoke to this senior
colleague I felt that she wished the power to remain with her. I did not feel that I was seen
within this context as an equal, and this was made explicit with comments on reflective
practice such as, “it is different for me in my Masters and for a student on Teaching Practice.”
In contrast, the other senior colleague I spoke to described reflection as “being humble, and
being human”. This interplay of power and expectations echoes the cautions that have to be
applied when working with children that they do not say what they believe you, as the adult
with power, expect or want them to say, but rather have the trust and freedom to find their
own voice (Greig & Taylor, 1999). This was to me, an example of how the role of the
researcher, and how the participant perceives the researcher, will lead them to speak with a
voice, or to say words that they are expected to say.
A12.5 THE PURPOSE OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
When asked the purpose of a reflective practice, LT needed time to think and to clarify her
own opinion, “personally I think that you need to reflect to...Reflect to enhance and if there is
something more positive to keep that. It is to not keep making mistakes and to evaluate your
own practice and approach.” This idea was echoed by HI, “reflective behaviour is not making
the same mistakes again and again”. He added, “It is to improve your working capacity with
young people.” For FA, the answer was more analytical, and she chose to speak about the
process of reflection as well as the purpose.
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“Reflective practice is different depending on the purpose of it. You need to know the
topic and the focus. Reflective process is to improve the process but also need to
understand what a good teacher is in order to aspire to be one.” (FA)
Here I perceive that LT and HI were speaking and relating the topic of reflective practice to
their own work with children and young people. This was corroborated by later comments;
“if they don’t get on with me I reflect and hope that they get on with someone else” (HI). In
contrast, LT spoke of a less personal approach; “an effective reflective practitioner has to be
well read and up to date with research to compare their practice with good practice through
reading, team teaching and observations but it all has to be in context.” This view resonates
with that of Cordingley (1999) who writes from the “perspective of a policy making
organisation” (ibid, p. 186). She states that evaluation is a routine part of professional
practice, and that the interpreting of evidence and research from others is central to reflective
practice. Although Cordingley likens teachers to athletes in that the knowledge they draw
upon has to be fully assimilated and integrated, she does not extrapolate on how one might
reach that integrated state, nor comment on what it means, and how one reflects. Similarly,
although reflective practice is a term widely used within educational discourse and rhetoric
(Edwards & Nicoll, 2006), beyond the relation to children reflecting on their learning, it is not
widely used within policy documents in England (Coldrun & Smith, 1999).
A12.6 SUPPORTING A REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
The question ‘how do you think a reflective practice is best supported?’ allowed each
participant to share their own view of what was needed to support their perception of
reflective practice. For HI reflective practice was something that everyone did, and he made
his own view of the lack of reflection among some teachers very clear.
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“It’s not supported– because it’s not felt necessary at a Senior Management
Team/whole school level. We should not be scared to challenge other people’s way of
working. We need support for staff– but they need to be less resistant to change. It’s
about creating an ethos. Teachers don’t have the time to look at the whole picture– a
more holistic view– by talking to each other about how a pupil behaves in one class is
different to another, what works and why. Fear of failure is overwhelming– if you ask
for help you are deemed to be weak and this is true for teachers as well as students”
(HI).
For HI reflection was also about the relationship between him and the students; “it takes time
to build trust.”
The need for peer support was made by LT and FA although in slightly different ways; “[peer
support] depends on department and friendships and acquaintances” (LT). LT admitted that
the relationship between peers was vital for useful dialogue. FA, in contrast, spoke of the
value of peer support:
“[reflection is] sometimes best supported with fellow students and peers. Colleagues
can chat about what they are doing/how they are doing. There is a need for emotional
literacy. Peer support is less judgemental than through a mentor. It can be negative if
lots of staff teach a difficult group– where it can become issues about pupils rather
than teaching.” (FA)
FA mentioned that a mentor may be more judgemental than a peer, however she did not talk
of the implications for career progression that may accompany using a manager as a reflective
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supervisor in the way that LT and HI did. Peer support, as part of peer reflective groups for
student teachers, or study teams and peer coaching for in-service teachers have been found to
encourage the participants to examine their assumptions, beliefs and practices (Ferraro, 2000).
A12.7 SUPPORTING LEARNERS THROUGH REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
The last question, ‘do you think that a reflective practice can also support learners?’, was
answered with the different language that each participant had used throughout. HI chose to
speak again of the need for humbleness, a school ethos, and of the self as a model for the
students; “reflective practice has to be effective to support learners– it also has to be the
culture of the school. If you are reflective, then the kids learn to be reflective”. LT echoed
the need to show that as teachers we are also able to learn from our mistakes and to move on,
as they can and so empower themselves, “if you can reflect and change it or approach it from
a different way then it’s going to help them. Let’s try another way– modelling it. You can
make mistakes and do something about it”. In contrast FA chose to use her final words as a
directive towards a particular model of practice, “it is imperative that reflective practitioners
focus on learning– so it must support learners.” HI and LT seem to be talking of reflection
from a model that almost encompasses the Person-Centred Therapeutic Model (Kirschenbaum
& Henderson, 1990) as they relate the need for their own reflective practice and their
modelling of it to the pupils’ ability to learn and witness and develop a reflective practice of
their own.
The sample here was very small, and may not be representative of the views of other
education professionals. They are the views of three members of staff in one school in which
I had a placement as a trainee teacher. The context of that particular school in which they
work may also affect views and opinions and the extent to which they are shared or not.
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